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YouTube Legally Considered a TV Station In Italy

Posted by Soulskill on from the legislation-to-facilitate-prosecution dept.

orzetto writes "Italian newspaper La Repubblica reports that YouTube and similar websites based on user-generated content will be considered TV stations (Google translation of Italian original) in Italian law, and will be subject to the same obligations. Among these, a small tax (500 €), the obligation to publish corrections within 48 hours upon request of people who consider themselves slandered by published content, and the obligation not to broadcast content inappropriate for children in certain time slots. The main change, though, is that YouTube and similar sites will be legally responsible for all published content as long as they have any form (even if automated) of editorial control. The main reason for this is probably that it will force YouTube to assume editorial responsibility for all published content, which facilitates the ongoing € 500M lawsuit of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi against YouTube because of content copyrighted by Berlusconi's TV networks that some users uploaded on YouTube. Berlusconi's Spanish TV station, TeleCinco, was previously defeated in court on the grounds that YouTube is not a content provider."

4 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Pretty much completely infeasible. by nonzzero · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The best response to this would be "No more YouTube for Italy!"

    1. Re:Pretty much completely infeasible. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Do you really think this isn't the intended result of this law? Silvio "Mr. Corruption" Berlusconi owns most major TV stations in Italy. He's in the perfect position to get rid of competition.

  2. This is what happens... by rm999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is what happens when the leader of a country also controls the largest media conglomerate of that country. Control the media, and you control the people. Control the people, and you *keep* control of the media.

  3. Re:Take that Italy by Life2Short · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If YouTube is an Italian TV Station, where are the breasts?