New York Lawmaker sues Google alleging it profits from ads for child porn sites

[mandy]

Nassau County (New York) Legislator Jeffrey Toback has sued Google alleging it profits from child pornography.

The complaint compares Google as a landlord of an "Internet mall" to the landlord of a shopping center mall. The plaintiffs charge that Google has a duty, like any other landlord, to insure that criminal activity and other hazardous conditions are not permitted to go unabated and to cause damages to its users. [<--similar to what Tiffany & Co. is contending in its lawsuit against eBay]

As a remedy, the suit asks that Google be compelled to:


  -- Prohibit on its Google site links or advertising relating
    to websites that display, market or otherwise provide illegal
    access to Pornography.

  -- Prohibit access through the Google site to pornographers and
    traders in illegal pornography.

  -- Comply with state and federal statutes relating to Child
    Pornography, including, without limitation, the Protection of
    Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998, which obliges Google
    to report violations of child pornography and obscenity laws.

  -- Post warnings to purveyors and distributors of Child Pornography
    that their criminal activities are subject to monitoring and
    reporting to law enforcement agencies.

  -- Provide filters and all other available technology to concerned
    Google site users to block the display and access to Child
    Pornography.

full article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/conws/3840910.html

[mandy]

Update: the NY lawmaker has dropped the Google suit

A New York politician who accused Google of profiting from child pornography and violating federal law has dropped his lawsuit, the search giant said...

Toback's attorneys on Wednesday filed court documents saying he would discontinue the legal challenge. The legislator could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.

Google spokesman Steve Langdon said...

"If Mr. Toback would like to talk with us about something, he should consider approaching it with a phone call, letter or other common form of communication, not an irresponsible lawsuit,"...

full article: http://news.com.com/Politician+drops+chi...87251.html