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Google Loses Autocomplete Defamation Case

Posted by timothy on from the why-italy-and-google-shouldn't-date dept.

superglaze writes "Google has been found liable in an Italian court for defamatory comments made against an anonymous plaintiff — the complainant's name, when googled, elicited autocomplete suggestions that translate as 'con man' and 'fraud.' Google was found not to qualify for EU 'safe harbour' protection because the autocomplete suggestions were deemed to be Google's own creation, and not something merely passing through its systems."

4 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Time to cut them off... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's it. Clearly Italy has shown that it can't handle the Internet. Someone grab me a chainsaw, I'm cutting their fiberz.

    1. Re:Time to cut them off... by SilentChasm · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm pretty sure the courts reasoning is that, because google is now modifying their autocomplete (removing "piracy" related things) they are no longer just showing what other people searched for but are actually somewhat responsible for the results now.

  2. I keep wondering why... by joocemann · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... foreign courts are being used for foreign nations to extort money from business they did not produce and had little connection to its success.

    Google should stop providing links to Italian businesses.

  3. romanes eunt domus? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    [Brian is writing graffiti on the palace wall. The Centurion catches him in the act]

    Centurion: What's this, then? "Romanes eunt domus"? People called Romanes, they go, the house?

    Brian: It says, "Romans go home. "

    Centurion: No it doesn't ! What's the latin for "Roman"? Come on, come on !

    Brian: Er, "Romanus" !

    Centurion: Vocative plural of "Romanus" is?

    Brian: Er, er, "Romani" !

    Centurion: [Writes "Romani" over Brian's graffiti] "Eunt"? What is "eunt"? Conjugate the verb, "to go" !

    Brian: Er, "Ire". Er, "eo", "is", "it", "imus", "itis", "eunt".

    Centurion: So, "eunt" is...?

    Brian: Third person plural present indicative, "they go".

    Centurion: But, "Romans, go home" is an order. So you must use...?

    [He twists Brian's ear]

    Brian: Aaagh ! The imperative !

    Centurion: Which is...?

    Brian: Aaaagh ! Er, er, "i" !

    Centurion: How many Romans?

    Brian: Aaaaagh ! Plural, plural, er, "ite" !

    Centurion: [Writes "ite"] "Domus"? Nominative? "Go home" is motion towards, isn't it?

    Brian: Dative !

    [the Centurion holds a sword to his throat]

    Brian: Aaagh ! Not the dative, not the dative ! Er, er, accusative, "Domum" !

    Centurion: But "Domus" takes the locative, which is...?

    Brian: Er, "Domum" !

    Centurion: [Writes "Domum"] Understand? Now, write it out a hundred times.

    Brian: Yes sir. Thank you, sir. Hail Caesar, sir.

    Centurion: Hail Caesar ! And if it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off.