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Duration: September 2006 - April 2011
Authors: J.V.J. van Hoboken
Supervisor: N.A.N.M. van Eijk
Summary:
Search engines have become important new gatekeepers
in the public networked information environment. They are a forum for
information providers to reach an audience and they help end-users
locate useful information. In addition, major search engine providers
have developed very successful advertisement based business models on
the Web that has allowed them to offer a range of other services.
In this research, the question is addressed how
freedom of expression and information has and could further inform the
legal and regulatory developments as regards search engines. This
question is being explored first historically by an analysis of the
impact of freedom of expression doctrine on the law as applied to other
entities in the public information environment, such as the press, the
internet access provider and the library. Subsequently some of the most
important legal issues as regards the legal position of search engines
are analyzed with a view to the question whether or how freedom of
expression concerns have been taken or could be taken into account.
These issues include the question about intermediary liability of search
engines for referencing to third party content, filtering of illegal and
or harmful content, the collection of end-user data, and the question of
pluralism and information quality online. |
