The Court of Justice of the European
Union("CJEU") has rendered its
long-awaited decision on the process started in 2016 with Austrian
Green Party member Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek's request from
Facebook to remove the posts offending her.
The CJEU's decision adds another dimension to the
responsibilities of host providers regarding the violation of
personal rights in social media. Furthermore, this decision also
paves the way for swift preventive measures against the online
violation of rights which can spread to millions with one
click.
In the event subjected to CJEU's decision,
Glawischnig-Piesczek initially sent a cease and desist letter to
Facebook and requested the removal of the content violating her
personal rights. Upon Facebook's refusal, the politician
requested an injunction before the Vienna Commercial Court.