5 May 2010 —Google’s Chief Legal Officer, Chief Privacy Counsel, and former Chief Financial Officer have each been sentenced to six months in prison by an Italian court for violating the country’s privacy laws. The decision (the “Decision”), issued by the Criminal Court of Milan (the “Court”) on February 24, 2010, and published on April 12, 2010, is the most recent and most dramatic demonstration of the need for companies doing business in Italy – and in Europe generally – to pay close attention to, and maintain strict compliance with, such countries’ privacy laws. The Decision also raises serious questions about whether Internet service providers and Internet content providers that allow third-party content on their services or websites need to increase their screening, monitoring, and/or removal of any such content that might violate local privacy or other laws.

For an excellent analysis from The Metrpolitan Corporate Counsel please click here.

Per leggere la decisione italiana clicca qui.