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Cases of Libel on Google are reoccurring practice these days, with the ease of access on the internet. However, for people who have no knowledge about defamation laws, there are distinctions between libel and defamation. Libel is a form of written broadcast and publishing of potentially defamatory materials. For example, in January 2011, there was a court which instructed Google to remove existing links to some hundred Spanish web articles on the grounds that their contents were libelous. Google challenged the court decision over libel since the court order was considered as a stroke to freedom of expression and information.

Indeed, on one side, there are people and institutions that prone liberty of expression and circulation of information while others are pointing to the dangers of liberalism and breaches of individual’s rights for protection and personal integrity. Many people and companies are, almost every day, victims of libelous statements under the cover of freedom of speech and expression and democratization. Libel on Google and other webmasters have brought to light various issues about the limits of liberalization and democratization of information and also human and civil rights.

Google’s policy and that of many other webmasters clearly stipulate that they are not responsible for the content of the articles and other web publications that they host and that are retrieved by the search engines. In other words, they imply that only the authors of the materials published can be held responsible for defamation, and torts caused. Hence, libel on Google has disclosed the conflicts between the company’s internal policy and common and international laws such as Spain and European laws that hold publishers and in the present instance, Google responsible for the publishing and communication of materials that make claim and/or convey the impression and/or negative image of a person or nation or production or any other entity.

The laws of libel have evolved and changed with the growth in written, picture and other forms of non-verbal publications. The tort of libel has undergone various developments to remain up to date with constant abuse and misuse of technological innovations and the growing use of Internet publishing. Owing to this tort law, nowadays, potential victims can file a libel lawsuit. Libel on Google has also unveiled that it is one thing to claim tort of libel, but it is something else to prove libel, especially for public personalities like politicians, actors, singers and other public celebrities.

However, to prove that libel has occurred, basically, the potential victim has to prove, for example, that the statement published was false or that the comment or image broadcast caused torts and damages. Then, the latter must prove that prior to publications, the author and/or the publisher did not make any effort to cross-check the information and undertake research to verify the validity and truthfulness of the information. In some instances, especially when dealing with public personalities and commercial competition, it is imperative to prove malice or that there was deliberate intention to cause harm and torts behind the publication of the potentially libelous statement.

These libel cases on Google have brought to light many concerns about civil and human rights regarding freedom of speech, of circulation of information and personal integrity. Subsequently, questions of censorship are also being raised..