Belgium Tries to Fine Yahoo for Protecting US User Privacy

Techdirt is reporting that Belgium is trying to extract fines from Yahoo for not producing user data that was recently demanded of the US company. Instead of following normal diplomatic channels Belgian officials apparently made the data demands directly to Yahoo's US headquarters and then took the company to criminal court, where a judge issued the fine. "The implications of this ruling are profound and far-reaching. Following the court's logic would subject user data associated with any service generally available online to the jurisdiction of all countries. It would also subject all companies that offer services generally available on the global Internet to the laws of all jurisdictions, potentially exposing individual employees to a variety of criminal sanctions."

Comments

Re:Let's Put Belgium To Sleep

[sargon666777]

We need to be careful not to offend Belgium as we could in fact lose the beer. After all look at that little tiff that lost us our Cuban cigars! Please save my Belgium Beer!

because i'm right

[circletimessquare]

there are morons in this world who will kneejerk explain away and excuse vile atrocities in this world committed by governments simply because they are enemies of the usa. likewise, there are morons in this world who will kneejerk explain away and excuse vile atrocities committed by the usa simply because they start with the starting assumption the usa can do no wrong

what i just described is real, and a large number of people, and a serious problem

the only valid morally and logically cohesive worldview is one which does not center on the usa, whether pro or anti usa, but is centered on principles instead. if you see this as a "black and white" point of view of mine, then go fuck yourself, because you are just smearing my larger point, and its not black and white at all