European cities work to implement ‘Right to be Forgotten’ protocol

Global Business

Experts from 45 countries are meeting in Brussels to discuss a controversial EU law that allows individuals to request that Google remove links to personal information.

The 2010 precedent-setting case at the European Court of Justice involved a Spanish man whose house was seized and auctioned off over a decade ago to cover unpaid government debts. The court ruled [pdf link] the information no longer relevant and detrimental to his reputation.

The ruling led to Google to convene an Advisory Council on the Right to be Forgotten protocol taking place in seven European cities, including Brussels.

Google now faces the challenge of striking a balance between protecting people’s personal data, and preserving the public’s free access to information. All the original articles removed from a Google search of a person’s name would still remain on the Internet.

While this currently remains a legal issue in Europe, it has sparked global debate.

CCTV America’s Jack Parrock reported this story from Brussels.

Follow Jack Parrock on Twitter @jackeparrock