Comment by miki123211

5 years ago

What would have happened if Gutenberg had ignored the German court's ruling?

Does Germany have any leverage over an institution that is fully based in the US?

If so, does it mean that, as a hypothetical website owner, I need to understand and be compliant with every law in every possible country, or risk fines / imprisonment?

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miki123211

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saddlerustle  5 years ago

My understanding is it's complicated in the US, but between most other western countries there are treaties allowing foreign judgements to be enforced domestically.

>If so, does it mean that, as a hypothetical website owner, I need to understand and be compliant with every law in every possible country, or risk fines / imprisonment?

By the letter of the law, yes. The idea of a borderless internet never had specific legal standing, it's just largely a convention on non-enforcement.

Mindwipe  5 years ago

> If so, does it mean that, as a hypothetical website owner, I need to understand and be compliant with every law in every possible country, or risk fines / imprisonment?

This has literally always been the case. Some nations have legal statutes that they will not enforce a foreign judgement against their own citizens (such as the US shield against UK libel judgements) but you're on your own if you leave your country of residence. Plenty of US newspapers still block access to the UK of stories they feel legal risk from for example, because their owners would like to go on holidays sometimes.

Extra territorial enforcement is a lot more muddy than people think, but it's never, ever been the case that you're fine if you're incorporated in a different territory. If they can demonstrate that there's a body of people in their country accessing the site, then generally you are liable. It's just if the legal system considers that to be too much of a pain to worry about.