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Google Rebuffs Belgian Court Demand

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

September 20, 2006, 12:42 PM

Lawyers for Google in Belgium said on Wednesday they planned to appeal a court ruling in the country that ordered the search giant to stop linking to Belgian publications on its Google News site. The company is also refusing to add a link to the decision on its homepage.

The Belgian Court of First Instance ordered it to publish the decision or face a daily fine of 500,000 euros. Google says the demand is unnecessary due to the publicity the case has already received. The court will decide on the matter Friday, with a full appeal slated to begin at the end of November.

Add a Comment (4 Comments)

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By dougggg

edited Sep 20, 2006 - 2:12 PM

come on, Belgium, it's time to step out of the Dark Ages

PS PC Rat/Rodent I love your comments.

Score: 0

By Paradise-FH-

posted Sep 21, 2006 - 11:29 AM

i think you meant PC_Tool ... unless you like posts being displayed like skyscraper banners.

there's a reason there's no signature field in your profile.

Score: 0

By Aires

posted Sep 21, 2006 - 4:15 AM

If the Belgian courts have decided that Google is violating copyright law by indexing and linking to stories in Belgian newspapers and ruled that Google stop linking to Belgian publications on its Google News site, whether they like it or not the law is the law and they can of course appeal if they so wish - but they should comply with the ruling in the meantime and not disregard the ruling just because they feel it's unfair.

Score: 0

By Paradise-FH-

posted Sep 21, 2006 - 11:38 AM

google is refusing to publish the verdict on their homepage. i don't think it says anywhere that they won't be complying with the request to stop linking to Belgian publications.

i don't see what publishing the verdict has to do with what the belgian publications in the first place. the court is way out of line in issuing that decision.

Score: 0

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