Is it just me, or does the EU always try to harass US tech companies for one reason or the other? It seems like MS is perpetually fighting some case in the EU. Then I think it was germany or some country that wouldn't let google use gmail there. Now Italy is meddling

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081106-google-execs-may-face-judge-in-italy-over-teen-violence-vid.html

Quote :

"But rumors have persisted since July that Google execs might get hauled before a judge in Italy to answer to charges of defamation for a video that briefly appeared on Google Video Italia. Now, sources are saying that charges have been filed against individuals that include Google's Chief Legal Officer in a case where the actual perpetrators may walk. "

WTF? Do they look for any opportunity they can find to be a nuisance? Are they jealous?

11/6/2008 9:42:43 AM

Because of the US's internet monopoly, US internet brands are ubiquitous around the word. What the EU and the like are really pissed about is the infiltration of US culture and values that they can't really do anything to stop. They're annoyed because they don't have the ability to leverage a local, competing voice into the market and the wide view of the internet. As a result, all they're left with is abusing the legal process to make US internet icons conform to what they want to see in their local/regional culture.

11/6/2008 9:56:36 AM

Ive been saying this for a while...

Let them go fuck themselves. Just block all US internet and see what happens. And dont say it cant be done, What do you think China does?

Honestly, what will all the people do if they dont have myspace, facebook, google, microsoft, cnn, and all the other mainstream US internet websites. The reason they like them is because they are better than the crap they have. Get over it. When they wake up to this will be the day.

Heh, just take away Microsoft from all the businesses over there. They will be complaining in 5 minutes, and wiped out by their US competition in an hr. I honestly dont see why MS (and now Google) put up with this shit. Heh MS really doesnt, why they keep facing all this as they dont do what they are suppose to when ordered. These are civil charges mostly, not criminal. Therefore (im not fluent in legalese but I think this is still ok) they cant be extradited. And even if they were, the US govt probably wouldnt, for the same reason why the companies dont quit using their stuff in the first place.

11/6/2008 5:11:14 PM

seriously. if MS or Google threatened to pull out of any of those countries, they would shit themselves so hard it would take years to recover

11/6/2008 5:14:16 PM

China pretty much fails, Streisand effect style. Anyone that would want access to "subversive" content over there can and does use any of several proxy networks

11/6/2008 5:16:02 PM

the decentralized nature of the internet makes it impossible to control

look at 0EPII1, that kid is constantly looking at porn and we all know that its illegal in saudi arabia

11/6/2008 5:23:58 PM

hahah >.<

11/6/2008 5:28:36 PM

^^ wtf constantly?

oh, and porn sites (and various religious and political sites) are blocked here, so the only porn that i have access to is the one found on tww (actually hosted here, not just linked here) and various other similar sites (if the sites are not blocked in the first place).

when i go into the i love boobs thread or the hottest girl you have ever seen thread, ~75% or more of the pics are red Xs.

as for the OP, yeah that's messed up and stupid.


[Edited on November 6, 2008 at 6:45 PM. Reason : ]

11/6/2008 6:44:24 PM