Friday, October 28, 2011

Government takedown requests

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2120023/google-uk-government-takedown-requests-71-cent
Excerpt:

Google reports 71 per cent rise in UK government takedown requests

26 Oct 2011
Google has reported a 71 per cent increase in UK government requests to remove items from its search and web services properties over the course of 2011.
The company's latest transparency report said that Google received 44 requests from the UK government over the first half of the year, the majority relating to YouTube, where police and other government groups asked for the removal of 220 videos.
The report revealed that 135 videos were taken down on the grounds of national security, and 61 over "privacy and security" complaints.
Privacy and security also led to the takedown of 67 Google image entries in the UK, along with 43 web search results and two Blogger entries.
The takedowns represent an increase over the second half of 2010, during which Google reported just 153 takedown requests. Overall numbers for 2010 were greatly skewed by a major government takedown in which more than 93,300 AdWords entries were taken offline.
In the US, Google received 757 takedown requests across its sites and services, up 70 per cent from the second half of last year. More than half were from Google Groups, where the company removed 379 pages deemed defamatory.
US authorities also called for the removal of 113 videos from YouTube, including several documenting alleged police brutality which Google refused to take down.

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/silicon-valley-sleuth-blog/2120039/occupy-crackdowns-spotlight-youtube-policy
Excerpt:

YouTube policyYouTube logo Occupy crackdowns could put spotlight on
Google's latest transparency report included some interesting notes on the company's YouTube video policy.

Google complied with more than 100 content removal requests from law enforcement groups, but also denied several requests, including a number of videos that allegedly exposed police brutality and defamed the police.
Conflict between police and the public is nothing new, but the issue could become a hot topic as the Occupy protests drag on and police around the country commence crackdown efforts.
Encounters between law enforcement and protesters are all but inevitible and, with video recording now a common feature on mobile handsets, much of the crackdown will find its way onto YouTube.
This could raise an interesting conflict between Google, YouTube and law enforcement groups. Police will be in no mood to have video of officers clashing with citizens circling the web, particularly with tension between protestors and police already high.
Google, meanwhile, could have a delicate balancing act to perform. The company doesn't want to be seen as party to incitement to violence against police, but has a core set of principles to uphold, particularly empowering free speech and the rights of individuals.
If YouTube is going to pride itself on helping citizens spread word of protests and police actions in other parts of the world, Google is obliged to allow the same freedom here.
26 Oct 2011
Do you agree?

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