Why do they just not grasp the concept of free speech? What is so difficult for Europeans to understand (not that Bill O’Reilly gets it, either- here is O’Reilly’s intemperate screed for those of you who missed it)?
The all-but-final proposal draft says that Internet news organizations, individual Web sites, moderated mailing lists and even Web logs (or “blogs”), must offer a “right of reply” to those who have been criticized by a person or organization.
To the esteemed members of the Council of Europe: Go F— Yourself. You can reply in the comments below.
Go read this entire article by Declan McCullagh.
(via Sullivan)
Matthew
There’s a pro-EU response to this over at Mr. Happy. He notes that the CNET writer left out the part about the law applying only to statements of fact and contends that this changes things entirely. But he doesn’t seem to understand that such a law would be the end of anonymous blogging, among other things. (A pity Atrios isn’t European, then.)
JPS
May I just salute you on the funniest damn headline I’ve read in recent memory?