In May, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that "the right to be forgotten" requires Google and other search engine operators in the European Union to erase search results made on the basis of a person's name that contain true, lawfully published information upon request when the information is "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant." Since that time, Google has received requests to remove some 300,000 pages from its European search results, and legislators in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere have proposed introducing the concept into domestic law. According to advocates of free expression, the Court's ruling allows individuals to rewrite their online history and gives search engines quasi-judicial powers to determine which information is visible to the public. This panel will examine the Google Spain decision and its implications for freedom of expression and privacy from a variety of perspectives.
Speakers:
- Meg Ambrose, Professor of Communication, Culture & Technology, Georgetown University
- Arturo Carrillo, Professor of Law and Director of the International Human Rights Clinic at The George Washington University Law School
- Ross LaJeunesse, Head of International Policy, Google
Moderator:
- Paul Schiff Berman, Manatt/Ahn Professor of Law and Vice Provost for Online Education and Academic Innovation, The George Washington University Law School
This event will be also be live streamed at asil.org/live.