Computer & Communication Industry Association
PublishedMarch 13, 2012

India Delays Google, Facebook Internet Content Liability Trial

Google and Facebook were set to go to trial today in India on charges they did not censor content from their websites. The Wall Street Journal reports the trial in which company executives could face fines or jail time is the latest example of the issues tech companies face as they expand to foreign markets.

The trial has now been delayed until May 23.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association has appreciated recent efforts by USTR to formally investigate censorship practices in China and hopes the US government will continue to step in on Internet freedom issues so that companies are not left on their own to negotiate with other nations.

The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:

“More and more we are seeing examples that show the growing battle between Internet censorship and openness. It is all too tempting for governments to filter or censor the Internet for seemingly good social reasons. While tech companies do make reasonable efforts to take down material that is offensive or violates copyright, when they are notified, holding companies criminally responsible for what others do on their websites can have a chilling effect on both speech and commerce online.

“Unreasonable liability rules in other countries can become market barriers. In the US, Congress has recognized that holding Internet and e-commerce businesses liable for the wrongful conduct of their users would jeopardize the growth of this vital industry and place unreasonable burdens on these companies. Getting safe harbor provisions to ensure that companies making a good faith effort to remove reported content are not held liable is a critical feature of U.S. law — the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Our diplomats and trade negotiators should make efforts to include similar protections for US companies in future trade agreements and to ensure we are enforcing existing trade agreements to note instances where Internet censorship is being used as a nontariff trade barrier.

“Holding neutral Internet platforms liable for content posted by others, is a dangerous threat to a free, open Internet. It makes as much sense as holding the mailman responsible for the content of letters and packages. We hope the delay in this trial will provide the opportunity to consider the broader consequences of having neutral platforms police Internet content.”

reading-tablet
  • Press Releases
  • Trade

CCIA Provides Testimony in California State Hearing, Releases White Paper Detailing Harms of Laws Mandating Payment for Online News

Washington – The Computer & Communication Industry Association will testify in a California Senate informational hearing Tuesday on the topic of the “Importance of Journalism in the Digital Ag...
reading-tablet
  • Press Releases
  • Competition

CCIA Offers Comments On Brazilian Tech Regulation Bill

Washington – As Brazil seeks input on proposed legislation to regulate tech companies, the Computer & Communications Industry Association filed comments advising Brazil’s Congress to examine h...
reading-tablet
  • Press Releases
  • Content Moderation

CCIA Files Supreme Court Briefs Demonstrating that Florida, Texas Social Media Laws Violate the First Amendment

Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice filed their briefs (Florida and Texas) with the Supreme Court of the United States setting forth the many reasons th...
reading-tablet
  • Press Releases
  • Digital Economy
  • European Union

Belgian Presidency Should Close Tech and Digital Files Responsibly, Not Rush

Brussels, BELGIUM – As Belgium gets ready to assume the helm of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2024, close to a dozen priority files in the field of EU tech and digital policy should...