Well, not really, but things got very confusing in Europe when they tried to regulate what Google could do, and not do, with respect to protecting their citizens’ privacy in the European Union. I’ll try to explain it as best I can from one American’s perspective. Here we go: the European Court of Justice does not require that companies make their decision-making process open to public scrutiny. People must make privacy requests that relate to online information, like personal circumstances or past criminal convictions, that is no longer relevant or not in the public interest (definitions that privacy lawyers say are inherently fuzzy). Well, I am glad that I helped clear that up, and I am sure that most privacy lawyers in Europe are also happy that they can continue to help wealthy clients in trying to understand what this all means. Let’s chalk one up for Google, at least for now.
On another related note, how about that U.S.Supreme Court declining to hear the Authore Guild challenge to Google Books? In effect, the Court refused to review a challenge to Google’s digital library of millions of books, turning down an appeal from the authors who said that the project amounted to copyright infringement on a mass scale. So go ahead, just Google it! I am not sure there is anyone to stop you?
Thank you readers for you patience over the past week. I have been enjoying some time with family over these beautiful spring days in New England. Not quite spring-like temperature yet, but those hardy souls really seem to get excited when the temperature cracks 50 degrees Farenheit.
Ray Myers
TechtoExpress 