Free Speech: Google And Alisher Usmanov

ON Google and free speech, in light of Alisher Usmanov:

“Nothing is so fundamental in a republican democracy as freedom of speech and thought, yet the reaction among folks who normally go ballistic over the slightest restraint on political speech is strangely mute. . . . Google claims its policy is to stay out of trademark disputes by removing any ad that is judged by the trademark holder to be a violation. Aside from questions about ideological bias or inconsistency in how Google enforces its policy, a more fundamental issue is at stake here — enabling abuse of a commercial trademark as a means of squelching dissident political speech. . . . If Google maintains this policy, it will be handing a powerful tool for crushing dissent not only to political groups like MoveOn.org but to every corporation with a trademarked name.”

Source: Examiner

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Posted: 15th, October 2007 | In: Twitterings Comment (1) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink