UK government puts pressure on Google to hinder search for filesharing platforms

Today, the British culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to tell an audience of media executives that the British government will exert pressure on internet search engines to prevent file sharing sites from being top search results. The government wants it to become more difficult for the general internet user to find and access illegal file sharing sites where copyrights are violated. Other Internet companies, advertisers and credit card companies will also be reminded of their corporate social responsibility to tackle illegal file sharing sites.

Besides the increased pressure on search giants like Google, the British government may well envisage new legislation with regard to regulating the internet. Only recently, draft legislation on a permanent blocking order was repealed, because it was too controversial and proved to be unworkable. The order would consist of a system where government agencies compose a "black list" of illegal file sharing sites that all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country should block, without the need of a court’s order or approval. Critics feared that a Government order to modify or remove content without the intervention of a judge would threaten the freedom of speech. Although this concern is understandable, the content that might be affected by this blocking order is actually unlawful. Anyway, now this plan is shelved, the British government focuses on internet companies.

However, Mr. Hunt's new approach towards companies will probably not suffice to circumvent the abovementioned discussion. Last May, Google warned the Governments ideas on internet (self-)regulation may create a "disastrous precedent" and that blocking and filtering orders put freedom of expression in jeopardy. Furthermore, Google is of the opinion that they offer copyright holders ample possibility to notify them of illegal content and to request for deletion of information.

In addition to concerns about freedom of speech, there is much to do about the question whether Google has an active role as a generator of search results. It will be interesting to hear what the current position of the British culture secretary is on this issue. Today we may gain some insight on  whether Mr. Hunt believes internet companies like Google's could actively scan their webpages and, for example, monitor search results before they are displayed to the user, rather than later, at the request of a copyright owner.

Source: The Guardian