4 ms·

They have an official repo with all the government takedown letters: https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns (Only from

They have an official repo with all the government takedown letters: https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns (Only from China, Russia and Spain at the moment).

kozhevnikov 7y ago
I find it interesting that they removed user and repo names from the Spanish notice, but kept links in the Chinese and Russian ones.
- starfox64_ 7y ago
  GDPR
- chrismeller 7y ago
  They don’t include the court order itself, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were some additional clause (similar to the gag order in a US NSL) that forbids Github from revealing the specific target of the order.
  - tomjen3 7y ago
    In that case, how would it possibly have any legal effect in the US?
    - chrismeller 7y ago
      They restricted access to the repo itself in the jurisdiction covered by it. Their takedown repo isn’t restricted, so it makes sense that they would just redact the relevant parts so it’s obvious they were forced to take down something. Kind of a lesser of evils. Yes, we could blacklist all of Spain from seeing the takedown request and publish it in its entirety. Instead a bit of a screw you to the Spanish government. We can’t say what we had to blacklist, but we had to blacklist something, so wink wink, nudge nudge.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
eitland 7y ago
I wonder how the Spanish government and courts feel about being in this exclusive club?
- afandian 7y ago
  From the perspective of a few Galego and Catalan friends, I don't think they would be surprised.
- oaiey 7y ago
  You could be in that club for any reason. In Germany we prosecute Nazi related content (e.g. Mein Kampf, etc). Would be completely fine in the US. As a result, a government takedown request can bring a rationale country like Germany on the list, doing the right thing, and still be viewed by US standards as violation of free speech. Legal is different in each country. And honestly, Spain has a territorial integrity and a working democratic process.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - raxxorrax 7y ago
    It is always questionable if the state enacting control on media is the correct conclusion from the Nazi era where content control was common and a pillar of the regime.
    - oaiey 7y ago
      That is the approach of our society here in Germany and that is not questionable. It is core concept of our identity and how we deal with this heritage. I would recommend to read the following article about it: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/germany-has-no-nazi-memorials/597937/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/germany-ha...
      - raxxorrax 7y ago
        Maybe not focusing on national symbols is a core tenet, as is disallowing violence in media out of fear it could awaken some inner monster. I do not share this view and given the realities of the modern world, people will come in contact with it anyway and it would help to be prepared. Which I think the German education system provides for that matter. But with all things learned, "our identity" certainly has a comparably low priority. I cannot tell you who is in the right in Spain, but I am certainly cautious not to justify a crackdown on content by authorities. And while it is true that symbols associated with the nazi-era are prosecuted, I do believe that the goal is immediately lost if used as a justification to restrict freedom of expression, which this immediate case could constitute. Maybe not, but I like to defer judgement. With a perspective on current world politics I have the impression that the German solution is fairly inadequate. That is why I do question it.
hiccuphippo 7y ago
There's a pull request to reverse it: https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns/pull/8 https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns/pull/8

They have an official repo with all the government takedown letters: https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns (Only from China, Russia and Spain at the moment).

kozhevnikov 7y ago

I find it interesting that they removed user and repo names from the Spanish notice, but kept links in the Chinese and Russian ones.

starfox64_ 7y ago
GDPR
chrismeller 7y ago
They don’t include the court order itself, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were some additional clause (similar to the gag order in a US NSL) that forbids Github from revealing the specific target of the order.
- tomjen3 7y ago
  In that case, how would it possibly have any legal effect in the US?
  - chrismeller 7y ago
    They restricted access to the repo itself in the jurisdiction covered by it. Their takedown repo isn’t restricted, so it makes sense that they would just redact the relevant parts so it’s obvious they were forced to take down something. Kind of a lesser of evils. Yes, we could blacklist all of Spain from seeing the takedown request and publish it in its entirety. Instead a bit of a screw you to the Spanish government. We can’t say what we had to blacklist, but we had to blacklist something, so wink wink, nudge nudge.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]

eitland 7y ago

I wonder how the Spanish government and courts feel about being in this exclusive club?

afandian 7y ago
From the perspective of a few Galego and Catalan friends, I don't think they would be surprised.
oaiey 7y ago
You could be in that club for any reason. In Germany we prosecute Nazi related content (e.g. Mein Kampf, etc). Would be completely fine in the US. As a result, a government takedown request can bring a rationale country like Germany on the list, doing the right thing, and still be viewed by US standards as violation of free speech. Legal is different in each country. And honestly, Spain has a territorial integrity and a working democratic process.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- raxxorrax 7y ago
  It is always questionable if the state enacting control on media is the correct conclusion from the Nazi era where content control was common and a pillar of the regime.
  - oaiey 7y ago
    That is the approach of our society here in Germany and that is not questionable. It is core concept of our identity and how we deal with this heritage. I would recommend to read the following article about it: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/germany-has-no-nazi-memorials/597937/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/germany-ha...
    - raxxorrax 7y ago
      Maybe not focusing on national symbols is a core tenet, as is disallowing violence in media out of fear it could awaken some inner monster. I do not share this view and given the realities of the modern world, people will come in contact with it anyway and it would help to be prepared. Which I think the German education system provides for that matter. But with all things learned, "our identity" certainly has a comparably low priority. I cannot tell you who is in the right in Spain, but I am certainly cautious not to justify a crackdown on content by authorities. And while it is true that symbols associated with the nazi-era are prosecuted, I do believe that the goal is immediately lost if used as a justification to restrict freedom of expression, which this immediate case could constitute. Maybe not, but I like to defer judgement. With a perspective on current world politics I have the impression that the German solution is fairly inadequate. That is why I do question it.

hiccuphippo 7y ago

There's a pull request to reverse it: https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns/pull/8 https://github.com/github/gov-takedowns/pull/8