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The integrity and accessibility of online (news) archives under threat

We are participating in a third-party intervention (TPI) with Article 19 and Media Defence in the case of Hurbain v. Belgium before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (see also here and here). The importance of the judgment, upholding a court order to anonymise an archived online press article, lies in the way the “right to be forgotten” is applied and its implications for online (media) archives. More information about the TPI here and the text of the TPI here.

Also another recent judgment by the ECtHR that neglects the importance of the integrity and accessibility of online (news) archives deserves a referral to the Grand Chamber: ECtHR of 25 November 2021 in the case of Biancardi v Italy (see also here and here). A critical comment on Biancardi v Italy has been posted on Inforrm’s Blog, The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog, and also our comment is published there. The judgment imposes an obligation for online news platforms and archives to de-index online news articles on request by persons invoking the “right to be forgotten”.

Published in News