As the world faces a serious threat to its economic way of life in the aftermath of the 2007/08 financial crisis, the term "too big to fail" often is used in reference to the huge financial institutions who brought the globe to the brink of collapse of its financial system.

Are we now facing a question of "too big to control" as the world's largest internet search engine, Google, increasingly comes under pressure from authorities around the world over content control?

In the latest incident, three Google executives were convicted of privacy violations by an Italian court for not taking down quickly enough an online video of the abuse of an autistic boy by bullies. They were each given a suspended six months jail sentence.

Seen by many as the main democratising champions of the free flow of information, Google immediately indicated that they will be appealing the sentence.

This was however not the first time that Google was confronted with this kind of 'onslaught'. A new law in South Korea sought to force the American internet giant to collect the real names of Koreans uploading videos of online commenting.

Google's response was to switch off the comments and block the upload of videos to its Korean YouTube-site. People were, however still allowed to upload videos on sites in neighbouring countries.

This response illustrated that the internet does not recognise geographic borders and exposed the limits of governments and courts to regulate internet behaviour across those borders.

It does, however also pose another age-old dilemma of democracy: Who guards the guardian? How are competing rights of individuals, organisations, institutions and the broader society balanced with one-another ? in the Italian example, the right to the free flow of information with the individual?s right to privacy?

More European issues

Inside the geographic borders of a country it is generally achieved via a network of checks-and-balances, legislation and precedent-setting court judgments.

Whether the Italian court's passing of a sentence, pulling the issue into the realm of criminal justice, was the way to go is open to debate, but at least it is a start.

It is also not just a matter of to what extent a search engine like Google can or should assert control over material being uploaded by third parties. European authorities have registered their concern via a letter delivered to Google early in February this year that the company?s 'Street View' mapping service might be in violation of European Union privacy laws.

Switzerland's data-protection agency in November sued Google for allegedly failing to comply with proposals to make it harder to identify people and cars on Street View. The latest letter backs efforts by the European Commission, the EU's executive agency, to strengthen privacy rights in Europe.

In the US Google is also facing charges by a British company brought in front of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The price comparison site accused Google of posing an "immediate threat to competition and innovation". It is asking the FCC to include search engines in its proposed Open Internet rules.

? Page 2: Under attack at home

Article courtesy of Leadership Magazine.