Systematic Destruction Of Internet Freedom

The ruling was the first of its kind in history and was condemned by critics as "the biggest threat to internet freedom we have seen".

America's ambassador to Italy, David Throne, condemned the decision, saying that freedom of the internet was vital for democracy.

The trial centred on footage posted on Google Videos, of an autistic teenager and who was being bullied by four other boys, at a Turin school.

The footage was posted in September 2006 and became the most viewed where it remained for two months before finally being removed.

Prosecutors in Milan brought the case after being contacted by the charity Viva Down and argued that the boys privacy had been violated and that Google should have removed the footage quicker than it eventually did.'

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