Google fights French ruling over 'right-to-be-forgotten' requests

Google has taken a fight against France’s privacy watchdog to the country’s highest administrative court, challenging a March decision to fine it €100,000 for failing to remove “right-to-be-forgotten” requests from global search results.

“As a matter of both law and principle, we disagree with this demand,” wrote Kent Walker, Google’s senior vice-president and general counsel in a blog post.

“We comply with the laws of the countries in which we operate. But if French law applies globally, how long will it be until other countries — perhaps less open and democratic — start demanding that their laws regulating information likewise have global reach?”