Google's trouble in Europe exposes lack of social responsibility

BRUSSELS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Google was forced to defend itself in Europe after facing three separate accusations of breaching privacy or antitrust rules last week, which raised serious concerns about the internet search giant's social responsibility.

A Milan court on Wednesday convicted three Google executives for allowing a video showing the bullying of an autistic Italian boy to be posted on the website in 2006.

On the same day, the European Commission, the European Union's antitrust watchdog, confirmed that it had received complaints from three online firms about Google's unfair business practice. Google had been invited to respond.

Meanwhile, Google's controversial Street View application, which provides panoramic views of streets, buildings, traffic and people, has come under fresh fire from German privacy campaigners.

In both the Milan court verdict and the Street View controversy, the focus was on the extent to which Google should ensure protection of privacy in its business operation.

The video in question was posted by four students at an Italian school on Google Video in September 2006. It showed how they bullied a classmate with autism.

Although Google said it removed the video immediately after being notified, the Italian prosecutors accused Google of negligence, arguing that the video remained online for two months despite repeated calls from web users asking that it be removed.

Throwing its weight behind Google, the U.S. embassy in Rome said in a statement that the verdict posed a threat to internet freedom.

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made clear on January 21 that a free internet is an integral human right that must be protected in free societies. While all nations must guard against abuses, offensive material should not be an excuse to violate this fundamental right," the embassy said.

But this kind interpretation of internet freedom has obviously gone too far since freedom can't be won at the expense of others' rights or the public interest. An invasion of a boy's privacy cannot be justified by internet freedom.