Spanish government to hold ISPs responsible for web content

January 22, 2005

The Spanish government, in collaboration with the Spanish General Society of Authors and Editors (SGAE), has developed a new Internet law that will hold Internet Service Providers responsible for the web content provided through their services. This law is intended to prevent the piracy of copyrighted material, but it may force ISPs to censor web content in order to deflect possible legal issues.

The Spanish Internet User Association has claimed that such law will break the Spanish Constitution and several European directives that discharge an ISP's responsibility.