Internet portals in the Baltic States: legal issues

Liutauras Ulevičius

Mykolas Romeris University

Vilnius – October 15th, 2005

The Problem

Internet has matured into a commodity

Internet portals have gained daily audiences throughout the Baltic States

Social relations intensify on the virtual arena

Old legal rules does not fit for a new situation

The Solution

Expert analysis

Identification of “the weakest links”

Legal procedures to update existing regulation

Analysis of the situation in the market

Owners and chief editors of the internet portals

Daily legal issues

The Methodology

Ist phase:Legal review, data (expert opinions) from

the market leadersThe most common issues

IInd phase:QuestionnairesStatistical analysis

Ist phase

Expertise in-place“Media law” (LT)“kavkazcenter.com” (LT-FIN-..) juudid ahju / Olev Hannula (EE)

Legal regulation analysis (systematic)

Legal comparison

Expertise in-place (I)

“Media law” by Liudvika Meškauskaitė Internet media (incl. Internet portals) are

“means of mass communication” (liet. visuomenės informavimo priemonės)

Content control is not in line with the Constitution due to the wrong legal form (according to the Convention human rights should be regulated by law)

Expertise in-place (II)

“kavkazcenter.com” Internet media are nor regulated by the

Law of Mass communicationTwo separate regimes:

The law of Mass communicationThe Police law and governmental content

control order

Expertise in-place (III)

Olev Hannula vs. Estonian societyCompetition of principles:

Free speech (a right to comment)Public order, no racism

Olev's appeal failedRace vs. Nation (“arab” comment case)

Legal regulation analysis

Draft law on Mass communication (Press law)Subject responsible for a legal actParadigm of “mean of mass

communication in information society” (liet. informacinės visuomenės informavimo priemonė)

LV intiativesDraft law, internet media chapter excluded

Expert opinions

Delfi editorsLT – generaly supports draft lawLV – oposes draft law, sugests to add user

created content (UCC) issuesEE – no special law for media

Omni.lt, bernardinai.lt editorsLT – mostly concerned with intellectual

property issues (e.g. deep linking), UCC

Conclusions (Ist phase)

The most common issues to be dealt with:A right to commentA responsible subject (author vs.

editor/owner)Legal mechanism – Press law, Police law,

etc.

Thank You!

Liutauras Ulevičius

Mykolas Romeris University

iutas@mruni. t, +370-686-08820