Google Australia Defimation Case "Google Fined $208,000"

[James]

Interesting case on Google today:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/te...es-bill-over-mokbel-shots-20121112-297gk.html

http://searchengineland.com/google-...source=sel&utm_medium=scap&utm_campaign=email

Thoughts on this one?

This could open the flood gates right? For my own name heaps of negative stuff comes up for some one else with the same name as me.

 

[goldnugget]

I first saw this story break yesterday. It was interesting in the sense that as far as I am aware it is one of the first (if not the first) successful cases against a search engine service.

The background to this is that the guy was a victim of a shooting around the time that there were a lot of 'underworld' hits in Melbourne and Sydney, but not aparently associated with the underworld or any criminal activity. It is alleged there was a site at the time that implicated him which had since long been shut down, but it triggered the automated alledged association with criminal activity.

The issue is that when you type his name into google, then links to underworld and criminal activity come up and that is what he had an issue with. It wasnt a case of mistaken identity as such with someone with the same name, it was him that is portrayed as a criminal figure and photos/images even put him in the same class as well known underworld figures. He contacted google I think back in 1999 (reported somewhere) requested this be fixed, google refused, so he sued.

With many potential employers googling prospective employees and such and many lives being digitaly analysed, I can see his point of view and reason for the action. If I had the resources I would have done the same thing.

Jay

 

[theseoconsultant]

He contacted google I think back in 1999 (reported somewhere) requested this be fixed, google refused, so he sued.

Jay

Just to correct Jay here: it was 2009 he first reported it to Google but with the incorrect URL.

He also had taken Yahoo to court for the same reason and won prior to him taking Google to court.

 

[goldnugget]

My bad...I knew there was a 9 in there...thanks for the clarification