Wikipedia hides Italian language edition to protest new law
The proposed law requires publishers to correct content within 48 hours, without review
By John Ribeiro | 05 October 11
Wikipedia said it was hiding the Italian edition of the online encyclopedia to protest against a proposed new rule in the country, that will require websites to publish corrections within 48 hours of content being found objectionable, without review.
"As things stand, the page you want still exists and is only hidden, but the risk is that soon we will be forced to actually delete it," Wikipedia said Tuesday in a message posted on its Italian edition.
The new rule, being debated in parliament this week, would oblige online publications to publish a correction within 48 hours of receiving a request, or risk a €12,000 (US$16,000) fine. The proposal requires websites to publish a correction of any content that an applicant deems detrimental to his/her image.
The proposed rule has already come in for criticism from a number of activists in Italy and abroad, who claim it will curb freedom of expression on the web, and in the immediate term may be used to curb adverse media coverage of the controversial Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
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