Facebook Can Be Forced to Delete Content Worldwide, E.U.’s Top Court Rules

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/technology/facebook-europe.html

LONDON — Europe’s top court said on Thursday that individual countries can order Facebook to take down posts, photographs and videos not only in their own countries but elsewhere, in a ruling that extends the reach of the region’s internet-related laws beyond its own borders.

The European Court of Justice said Facebook could be forced to remove a post globally by a national court in the European Union’s 28-member bloc if the content was determined to be defamatory or otherwise illegal. Its decision cannot be appealed.

The ruling stemmed from a case involving an Austrian politician, Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek, who sued the social network to expunge online comments that called her a “lousy traitor,” “corrupt oaf” and member of a “fascist party.” After an Austrian court found the comments violated defamation laws, she demanded Facebook erase the original comments worldwide, not just within the country, as well as posts with “equivalent” remarks.

The decision sets a new benchmark for the purview of European laws that govern the internet, giving European countries the power to apply takedown requests internationally. That foreshadows future disputes over Europe’s role in setting rules on the internet, especially as other nations increasingly pass their own laws to deal with privacy, hate speech and disinformation.

The EU has issued a court order on facebook's policies.

 

[KeithE4]

The European Court of Justice said Facebook could be forced to remove a post globally by a national court in the European Union’s 28-member bloc if the content was determined to be defamatory or otherwise illegal. Its decision cannot be appealed.

Nor can it be enforced outside the EU. Facebook would be right in telling them to shove it.

Since when does a court in the European Union have any jurisdiction whatsoever outside of the European Union? That would be like our Supreme Court telling China what they can and cannot do, or vice versa.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I expect Facebook will tell them to shove it.
Purely on practical terms this is unenforceable.

 

[Will_H_69_9]

this is all apart of the recently passed internet copyright law in the EU known as Article 13.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_Copyright_in_the_Digital_Single_Market

 

[gopher101media]

Personally Facebook should tell the EU where they should stick their court decision as it is completely unenforceable outside of Europe. A better alternative would be to develop the means that will permit individual countries to block access to any posts in question in the event that such posts violate the respective countries applicable laws.

A better option should be a forcible permanent dissolution on the EU as this court decision is way too overreaching and the Austrian politician should have been told to shut up and get really thick skinned. Everyone who goes into politics will be subject to criticized at any and all levels and this politician who got offended by a post on Facebook should have been told that she don't need to go on Facebook or any social media if she doesn't like anything that gets posted on there (Except posts that Advocate any act of violence (Even if such acts result in even death) against her or her loved ones or even posts that contain "Sensitive information" about her).

 

[FreddyE1977]

Indeed. "Corrupt Oaf" is pretty mild as compared to some invectives that get
hurled at politicians here.

 

[gopher101media]

Indeed. "Corrupt Oaf" is pretty mild as compared to some invectives that get
hurled at politicians here.

That politician in question should have kept herself off both Facebook and Politics to be honest.