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Dorkus Maximus Sues Google Over Porn 
By: SearchNewz Staff 2006-05-08 A New York politician's effort to sue Google for being the "world's largest facilitator and distributor of child pornography" may have earned him more scorn than points. Nassau County legislator Jeffrey Toback, champion of toy gun bans, slapped the search giant with a lawsuit last week.
Filed in the Supreme Court for the State of New York in Nassau County, Toback charges Google with "knowingly generating billions of dollars from the pornography trade and illicit profiteers, in intentional and reckless disregard of its legal duties and the well-being of our nation's children." Google does this, according to the suit, with sponsored search results through its pay-per-click advertising model. Immediately the blogosphere lit up, accusing Toback of political posturing and grandstanding with little knowledge of the search industry or computers themselves. Toback admits to being "not the most computer-literate guy" and learning of Google's Safe Search function just days before filing. Toback earned the honor of Dorkus Maximus from Alex Eckelberry, president of security software company Sunbelt: "You have to read the complaint. It's just a blithering mish-mash of bombastic stream of consciousness about mall owners, Google and China, with multiple uses of the word 'obscene.' I'm not a lawyer, but I've read a few complaints and I'm just astounded as to the absolute lack of evidence." Eric Goldman, however, is a lawyer, and expects the lawsuit to be dismissed quickly: "I can confirm that this lawsuit is just a publicity stunt, and a pathetic one at that. Among other evidence of cluelessness, the complaint uses a wacky definition of 'child pornography' (defined as 'repulsive material that is illegal to distribute to children') that no knowledgeable lawyer would use. "Between the lack of standing, the lack of private causes of action, the 230 immunization, and the overall junkiness of this complaint, I think this lawsuit has zero chance of surviving a motion to dismiss. NONE." Tag: Google Drag this  to your Bookmarks.
Add to DiggThis Yahoo My Web About the Author: One of the many staff writers covering the search engine industry for SearchNewz.com. |
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