24 August 2010 | Author: J. Cave SEO Consultant
Last year, a court in Argentina ruled both Google and Yahoo! as liable for defamation claims after a celebrity found a search for her name was returning pornographic websites. Now, it seems, charges against Yahoo! and Google have been avoided. Experts, however, already expect an appeal from the plaintiff.
The claim was put in by Argentinean entertainer Virginia Da Cunha, a singer, songwriter, composer and actress. She is probably best known for being a member of the all-female band Bandana, and now, in the Western world, for taking Google and Yahoo! to court over search results.
The ruling, issued last week, said Google and Yahoo! could only be held liable for defamation if the content was clearly illegal and were negligent in removing it.
Since 2006, there have been around 130 similar cases, with celebrities and ordinary folk alike taking major search engines to court over their results pages. Some of the most famous plaintiffs have included Yesica Toscanini, a Sports Illustrated model, and soccer hero Diego Mardona. However Da Cunha's case has progressed the furthest of any lodged against a search engine.
Argentina is certainly an unusual country when it comes to these cases. In the United States and Europe, governments typically protect search engines. The only other country where a court can decide a search engine's results page for a person's name is China.
Even though this might be seen as a victory for Yahoo! and Google, Da Cunha's lawyer, Gustavo Tanus, said he intended to appeal to the Argentine Supreme Court.
Argentina court repeals songstress' defamation claims against Google, Yahoo!
Last year, a court in Argentina ruled both Google and Yahoo! as liable for defamation claims after a celebrity found a search for her name was returning pornographic websites. Now, it seems, charges against Yahoo! and Google have been avoided. Experts, however, already expect an appeal from the plaintiff. The claim was put in by Argentinean entertainer Virginia Da Cunha, a singer, songwriter, composer and actress. She is probably best known for being a member of the all-female band Bandana, and now, in the Western world, for taking Google and Yahoo! to court over search results.
The ruling, issued last week, said Google and Yahoo! could only be held liable for defamation if the content was clearly illegal and were negligent in removing it.
Since 2006, there have been around 130 similar cases, with celebrities and ordinary folk alike taking major search engines to court over their results pages. Some of the most famous plaintiffs have included Yesica Toscanini, a Sports Illustrated model, and soccer hero Diego Mardona. However Da Cunha's case has progressed the furthest of any lodged against a search engine.
Argentina is certainly an unusual country when it comes to these cases. In the United States and Europe, governments typically protect search engines. The only other country where a court can decide a search engine's results page for a person's name is China.
Even though this might be seen as a victory for Yahoo! and Google, Da Cunha's lawyer, Gustavo Tanus, said he intended to appeal to the Argentine Supreme Court.
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