Shock European court decision: Websites are liable for users’ comments

• 

  pernunz on 22/06/2015 - 16:29

  +1

  From the comments in the article

  Essentially, this all boils down to this:

  The site did not allow the user to alter or delete their own comments.
  The site ignored user reports (there was a report button on comments)
  The site ignored any kind of communication which asked to delete the comment for 6 weeks
  And the site displayed it on a serious newspaper site, directly visible >below the article.

  Of course the site is responsible if it makes it impossible for users to >remove hateful comments.

  • 

    scrimshaw on 22/06/2015 - 18:22

    +1

    This was Estonia. To make matters simple:

    "Today's decision doesn't have any direct legal effect. It simply finds that Estonia's laws on site liability aren't incompatible with the ECHR. It doesn't directly require any change in national or EU law. Indirectly, however, it may be influential in further development of the law in a way which undermines freedom of expression. As a decision of the Grand Chamber of the ECHR it will be given weight by other courts and by legislative bodies."

• 

  juki on 22/06/2015 - 17:18

  hasn't this been the case for ages already ?

• 

  scrimshaw on 22/06/2015 - 18:19

  +1

  Though Whirpool just won their case. The financial services group that sued them lost the legal battle and have to pay out WP's legal fees — something to the tune of $200k.

  I'd say it highly depends on the court's rulings, as not everyone will have the same interpretation of the term 'free speech'.