Breaking: Google not above law, publishes Belgian copyright infringement ruling

Today's New York Times headline "Google Defies Order That It Publish Adverse Belgian Ruling" is wrong.

Contrary to New York Times reports, Google has indeed succumbed to a ruling from the Belgian courts requiring that Google publish the courts' earlier ruling in favor of a lawsuit brought by Belgian media accusing Google of copyright infringement.

Below is a screen shot of Google's Belgian property with the court ruling duly published on its home page, as required by the Belgian courts.

Why had Google not wanted to obey the court order that it publish on Google a court ruling?

We believe it is disproportionate and unnecessary, given the extensive publicity the case has received already, according to Google.

In other words, Google believes its mission to “organize all the world’s information and make it universally accessible,” excludes the world’s information that is unfavorable to Google, even if courts of law require that Google make the information publicly available.

ALSO SEE: Google vs. Belgian media: You go Belgium! and Google, YouTube: multi-billion dollar fair use bets