Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 58
Google two more complaints, citing pages within copies of the Operation Clambake site on
other servers. All three complaints are now on the Chilling Effects site.
Helena Kobrin, a lawyer representing Scientology at the law firm of Moxon Kobrin in Los
Angeles, said that Google‘s use of the letters of complaint would not discourage the church
from pursuing further complaints if necessary and that there was nothing in the letters that
needed to be hidden. ―I think they show very graphically to people that the only thing we‘re
trying to do is protect copyrights,‖ she said.
As part of its new process for handling complaints, Cutts said, Google added information to
its site explaining how site owners could have their links restored by filing a
countercomplaint with Google. If site owners take this step, he said, they accept
responsibility for the contents of their pages. Heldal-Lund, a Norwegian citizen, said that he
would not file a countercomplaint because it would put him under the jurisdiction of U.S.
law.
Scientology Critics
The church, which has beliefs based on the idea that people need to release themselves
from trauma suffered in past lives, has taken a keen interest in the Internet since 1994,
when someone posted secret church teachings on an online discussion group. Critics say
that the church guards its teachings closely because it wants its followers to pay for access
to higher levels of instruction. The church says that these payments are donations and that
it is simply seeking to protect its rights online. With its Chilling Effects partnership, Google is
subtly making the point that the right to link is important to its business and to the health of
the Web, said David Post, a law professor at Temple University who specializes in Internet
issues. ―This is an example where copyright law is being used in conflict with free
connectivity and free expression on the Net,‖ he said. Post said Google‘s situation
highlighted the need for more awareness of copyright issues, including pending legislation
that is more restrictive than the 1998 law.
The copyright controversy has had an interesting side effect for Operation Clambake. The
Google software judges the importance of a page in part by looking at how many other
pages link to it. Scientology‘s complaint set off a flurry of linking to the critics‘ site, pushing
it up two spots to No. 2 in the search results for ―Scientology‖ — just below the church‘s
official site. (David F. Gallagher, The New York Times, Internet, 4/24/02)
Scientology Followers Released from Egyptian Jail
An Egyptian court has released two members of the Church of Scientology, a Palestinian
woman and her Arab Israeli husband, all of whom were arrested in December on charges of
trying to damage the principles of Islam and Christianity by the spread of a new religious
doctrine. The court ruled that condemning people for adopting new ideas is a violation of
human rights. The couple was also accused of exploiting this new doctrine to propagate
ideas contrary to religion with the goal of provoking riots. (Channel Africa, Cairo, Internet,
3/28/02)
Head Acquitted in Spain
A Spanish court has acquitted the American leader of the Church of Scientology of
conspiracy and other charges, ending a case dating back to 1988. The court said there was
no evidence to support prosecutors‘ allegations that drug rehabilitation and other programs
sponsored by the Church of Scientology in Spain amounted to illicit gatherings aimed at
activities such as bilking people of money. (AP, Internet, 04/11/02)
Google two more complaints, citing pages within copies of the Operation Clambake site on
other servers. All three complaints are now on the Chilling Effects site.
Helena Kobrin, a lawyer representing Scientology at the law firm of Moxon Kobrin in Los
Angeles, said that Google‘s use of the letters of complaint would not discourage the church
from pursuing further complaints if necessary and that there was nothing in the letters that
needed to be hidden. ―I think they show very graphically to people that the only thing we‘re
trying to do is protect copyrights,‖ she said.
As part of its new process for handling complaints, Cutts said, Google added information to
its site explaining how site owners could have their links restored by filing a
countercomplaint with Google. If site owners take this step, he said, they accept
responsibility for the contents of their pages. Heldal-Lund, a Norwegian citizen, said that he
would not file a countercomplaint because it would put him under the jurisdiction of U.S.
law.
Scientology Critics
The church, which has beliefs based on the idea that people need to release themselves
from trauma suffered in past lives, has taken a keen interest in the Internet since 1994,
when someone posted secret church teachings on an online discussion group. Critics say
that the church guards its teachings closely because it wants its followers to pay for access
to higher levels of instruction. The church says that these payments are donations and that
it is simply seeking to protect its rights online. With its Chilling Effects partnership, Google is
subtly making the point that the right to link is important to its business and to the health of
the Web, said David Post, a law professor at Temple University who specializes in Internet
issues. ―This is an example where copyright law is being used in conflict with free
connectivity and free expression on the Net,‖ he said. Post said Google‘s situation
highlighted the need for more awareness of copyright issues, including pending legislation
that is more restrictive than the 1998 law.
The copyright controversy has had an interesting side effect for Operation Clambake. The
Google software judges the importance of a page in part by looking at how many other
pages link to it. Scientology‘s complaint set off a flurry of linking to the critics‘ site, pushing
it up two spots to No. 2 in the search results for ―Scientology‖ — just below the church‘s
official site. (David F. Gallagher, The New York Times, Internet, 4/24/02)
Scientology Followers Released from Egyptian Jail
An Egyptian court has released two members of the Church of Scientology, a Palestinian
woman and her Arab Israeli husband, all of whom were arrested in December on charges of
trying to damage the principles of Islam and Christianity by the spread of a new religious
doctrine. The court ruled that condemning people for adopting new ideas is a violation of
human rights. The couple was also accused of exploiting this new doctrine to propagate
ideas contrary to religion with the goal of provoking riots. (Channel Africa, Cairo, Internet,
3/28/02)
Head Acquitted in Spain
A Spanish court has acquitted the American leader of the Church of Scientology of
conspiracy and other charges, ending a case dating back to 1988. The court said there was
no evidence to support prosecutors‘ allegations that drug rehabilitation and other programs
sponsored by the Church of Scientology in Spain amounted to illicit gatherings aimed at
activities such as bilking people of money. (AP, Internet, 04/11/02)
