Not new but noteworthy headline about Google: Google deletes artist’s blog and a decade of his work along with it by Ethan Chiel.
From the post:
Artist Dennis Cooper has a big problem on his hands: Most of his artwork from the past 14 years just disappeared.
It’s gone because it was kept entirely on his blog, which the experimental author and artist has maintained on the Google-owned platform Blogger since 2002 (Google bought the service in 2003). At the end of June, Cooper says he discovered he could no longer access his Blogger account and that his blog had been taken offline.
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As you know without even reading Ethan’s post, Google has been not responsive to Dennis Cooper or others inquiring on his behalf.
Cooper failed to keep personal backups of his work, but when your files are stored with Google, what’s the point? Doesn’t Google keep backups? Of course they do, but that doesn’t help Cooper in this case.
The important lesson here is that as a private corporation, Google isn’t obligated to give any user notice or an opportunity to be heard before their content is blocked. Or in short, no due process.
Instead of pestering Google with new antitrust charges, the EU could require that Google maintain backups of any content it blocks and require it to deliver that content to the person posting it upon request.
Such a law should include all content hosting services and consequently, be a benefit to everyone living in the EU.
Unlike the headline grabbing antitrust charges against Google.