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Google Complies with Law, Excludes 'controversial' Sites
YDdraig writes "To conform with some French and German laws, Google has removed listings for over 100 sites which it believes to be anti-abortion, pro-Nazi, white supremacist or anti-semitic. They're not keen to talk about it either, saying merely: 'As a matter of company policy we do not provide specific details about why or when we removed any one particular site from our index.'" Noted from Declan's articles: This is Google.de and Google.fr, and is done to be in compliance with those countries laws. Because, of course, not being able to talk about something makes it less attractive right? And drugs being illegal makes it less attractive for kids too, right? *sigh* Update: 10/24 13:55 GMT by H : Thanks to Declan for providing the linkage to his News.com original story which has more links then the ZDNet UK one.
YHBT, HAND.
(Always wanted to say that.)
http://pcblues.com - Digits and Wood
How many times did YOU fire your rifle? And perhaps if the US fired their rifles a little less in general it might not be all bad.
Your absolutely right, next time france and europe gets run over we won't lift a hand!
the courts told them to do so. What else could they do? The wiser move might well be to do something else, but whose wisdom should apply? I do not presume to be wiser than the French government, although upon noting this humble view, I respectfully find their speech regulation problematic and ultimately ineffective. Still, they, not I, get to decide what is French law. Google wants to participate in France. What else could they do?
Ask the experts.
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys" P. J. O'Rourke
Because, of course, not being able to talk about something makes it less attractive right? And drugs being illegal makes it less attractive for kids too, right? *sigh*
And murder being illegal... that's what CAUSES murder!
I'd love to live in a free society... it's just that these LAWS are so damn onerous!
Drugs SHOULD be illegal for kids, you dope. Adults maybe not, but KIDS? You're a bit too liberatarian for me.
Only with the crazy alterna-right-wing do we get people who link free-speech with freedom of drugs and expect that it is a CONVINCING argument.
During the 1960s when there was no trade or diplomatic contact between the US and China and the Soviet Union, you could walk into a book store and by a copy of Mao's "Little Red Book." "On People's War," and everything ever written by Lenin... You could do that because in the US you have the right to read and talk about anything, even if it is offensive to someone.
.de and .fr sites than knuckle under to those fascist bastards.
It would be better to break off diplomatic relations and stop all trade with Germany and France, even the whole of the EU, than to allow even one page of material to be censored by those governments.
I would much prefer to see Google shut down their
Stonewolf