Google is resisting France in its bid to censor the Internet filing an appeal with the highest court in France against the CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Liberties), France’s privacy authority. Google is observing French “Right to be Forgotten” law but is defying the CNIL by offering the “forgotten” search results to those using a non-European IP address. A Google lawyer explained the companies’ resistance, “…if French law applies globally, how long will it be until other countries – perhaps less open and democratic – start demanding that their laws regulating information likewise have global reach?” Companies have to stand up to egregious demands from governments – there is no more effective way.” (Privacy Online News, May 27, 2016, by Caleb Chen)
Mike Masnick, techdirt, May 24, 2016, echoes the lawyer’s concern, “This is a big, big deal for how the global internet will function. Giving the most censorious and autocratic countries veto powers over the global internet should obviously raise serious concerns among everyone — even those among you who hate or fear Google.”