Google hands over Israeli IP address

Google hands over Israeli IP address


Chinese policy could be spreading

Google has handed over the IP address of a user of its blogging software after the author was accused of slandering Israeli politicians.

Reports on Israeli news site Globes Online suggest that the blogger made a number of allegations about three Israeli councilmen standing for election, including fraud and links to organised crime.

Google initially declined the request for information but changed its mind after a ruling by Judge Oren Schwartz, of Rishon LeZion Magistrates Court, that the blog constituted criminal defamation.

The search giant struck an agreement with the court to email the blogger within 72 hours of the trial telling them to attend. If Google received no response it promised to hand over the information.

The IP address was subsequently taken by the prosecution to the user's ISP, which identified the individual involved.