Google wins Blogger libel case

INTERNET SERVICES GIANT Google has won a court case that could have found it responsible for content posted on its Blogger venue.

Former Conservative Party local council candidate Payam Tamiz started legal proceedings against Google after he found some allegedly derogatory comments about him on Blogger.

Tamiz, who resigned from the party after he admitted posting derogatory comments about women on Facebook, found the comments offensive and chose to sue Google rather than the posters and commenters.

The Guardian reports that Mr Justice Eady ruled that Google is not responsible as it could not be considered the publisher of the comments.

He added that Google would be spared liability for the comments in accordance with regulation 19 of the European Union's electronic commerce directive of 2002.

"We don't routinely comment on individual cases," said a Google spokesperson after our request for comment. "Tools like Blogger aren't in a position to adjudicate on allegations of defamation - that's for courts to decide." µ