Global General
Italy drops hate site ban plan after PM attacked
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-23 20:52
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ROME: Italy dropped plans on Tuesday to black out Internet hate sites despite a pledge for radical measures after fan pages emerged on the Internet last week praising an attack on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, who had proposed blocking such sites following the assault on the prime minister, said after meeting with executives from Facebook, Google, Microsoft and other Internet service providers he would seek a solution through a shared code of conduct rather than new legislation.
"The road to follow is to find an agreement with all those involved and avoid forcing through new measures," Maroni told reporters.
"If this agreement is found, it would be the first of this kind in the world," he said, adding that more talks will be held in January.
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In a statement last week Facebook said it would take quick action to remove any content reported to it that makes direct threats against an individual.
It also shut down the largest fan page for Tartaglia after 100,000 users joined it in less than 48 hours, but at least two pro-Tartaglia groups were still visible on Tuesday.
Berlusconi, 73, was attacked during a rally in Milan by a mentally ill man who threw a metal statuette?-- a replica of Milan's Duomo cathedral?-- at him. The attack broke Berlusconi's nose and two teeth, forcing the premier to be hospitalized for a few days and skip some international meetings.
The man, Massimo Tartaglia, has been arrested.
Berlusconi was quoted by Wednesday papers as saying that he forgives his assailant, though he said he hopes he will not be released from jail too soon as the attack appeared to be premeditated. The comments came in a conference call with members of his party, the reports said.
