4 ms·

Tsk. Why do web companies even worry about a problem like this? If it were me, I'd simply redirect all Italian web traffic from my site and onto a black page wi

Tsk. Why do web companies even worry about a problem like this? If it were me, I'd simply redirect all Italian web traffic from my site and onto a black page with a short explanation of the problem. And I'd make the switch at 1am. If my company were as popular as Google is, within a few short minutes there would be massive outrage such that politicians, journalists, judges, and police officers would be awoken from sleep. There would be huge protests in the streets the next morning or a day later. Governments would never make a screw-up that severe ever again. In fact, in light of how this case was handled in Italy, if I were Google, I'd be doing that very thing right now until Italy changes their laws to make it crystal clear that Google should not be held accountable.

jacquesm 17y ago
Collective punishment went out of fashion a long time ago, and besides, that's exactly what would play in to the hands of Berlusconi et al. Google simply will appeal this and hopefully the appeal judge will be more sensible, if they're not the time for drastic measures may come but the fall out from that will be wildly unpredictable and it will hurt a lot of people that have nothing to do with this.
- DrJokepu 17y ago
  Actually, collective punishment is anything but out of fashion. Trade embargoes, for example, punish the whole population of countries instead of just the responsible people in the government.
  - jacquesm 17y ago
    I wished you were wrong about that :( But in the case of a company duking it out with a government over the heads of the users 'out of fashion' was meant to be read as counter productive. Trade embargoes are only a step removed from a blockage, which is considered an act of war.
    - neilk 17y ago
      I don't agree that such actions are too aggressive. In the era of South African apartheid, Western disinvestment campaigns played a role in eliminating the system, and they were supported by Mandela and the ANC. Even individual organizations can have an impact. Mandela believes that the University of California's disinvestment of 3 billion dollars was particularly helpful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinvestment_from_South_Africa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinvestment_from_South_Africa Not that things are that dire in Italy, but I think it's quite reasonable for Google to take public actions suspending the hosting or distribution of content in Italy. It's exactly what the court asked them to do -- stop distributing content unless they can ensure they have the permission of everyone involved.
      - jacquesm 17y ago
        If I look at Cuba I don't think much good came of it. Such tools are best used with lots of caution.
        neilk 17y ago
        That's a fair point. Sanctions seem to be relatively useless against despotism (North Korea, Cuba, Iraq). However, South Africa was an advanced democratic capitalist state, and its stability depended on links with the Western capitalist system. Italy is probably even more vulnerable to such pressure.
Semiapies 17y ago
Something vaguely along these lines would be a reasonable action. If local laws make the sensible operation of a legitimate website criminal, then the operators of that website would be smart to block all traffic from that country.

jacquesm 17y ago

Collective punishment went out of fashion a long time ago, and besides, that's exactly what would play in to the hands of Berlusconi et al. Google simply will appeal this and hopefully the appeal judge will be more sensible, if they're not the time for drastic measures may come but the fall out from that will be wildly unpredictable and it will hurt a lot of people that have nothing to do with this.

DrJokepu 17y ago
Actually, collective punishment is anything but out of fashion. Trade embargoes, for example, punish the whole population of countries instead of just the responsible people in the government.
- jacquesm 17y ago
  I wished you were wrong about that :( But in the case of a company duking it out with a government over the heads of the users 'out of fashion' was meant to be read as counter productive. Trade embargoes are only a step removed from a blockage, which is considered an act of war.
  - neilk 17y ago
    I don't agree that such actions are too aggressive. In the era of South African apartheid, Western disinvestment campaigns played a role in eliminating the system, and they were supported by Mandela and the ANC. Even individual organizations can have an impact. Mandela believes that the University of California's disinvestment of 3 billion dollars was particularly helpful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinvestment_from_South_Africa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinvestment_from_South_Africa Not that things are that dire in Italy, but I think it's quite reasonable for Google to take public actions suspending the hosting or distribution of content in Italy. It's exactly what the court asked them to do -- stop distributing content unless they can ensure they have the permission of everyone involved.
    - jacquesm 17y ago
      If I look at Cuba I don't think much good came of it. Such tools are best used with lots of caution.
      - neilk 17y ago
        That's a fair point. Sanctions seem to be relatively useless against despotism (North Korea, Cuba, Iraq). However, South Africa was an advanced democratic capitalist state, and its stability depended on links with the Western capitalist system. Italy is probably even more vulnerable to such pressure.

Semiapies 17y ago

Something vaguely along these lines would be a reasonable action. If local laws make the sensible operation of a legitimate website criminal, then the operators of that website would be smart to block all traffic from that country.