The Problem Needs To Be Addressed Sooner Rather Than Later

The problem associated with prominent placement of legal information related to any individual online search pales in comparison to a lot of the other insidious online plagues including: online predators and identity theft. There are many who argue that anyone engaged in legal action has created the problem for themselves since they chose to sue someone or acted in a way that caused them to be sued. The sad truth is that public access to judicial proceedings is exactly what prevents good people from accessing legal recourse. With Google in the mix creating a skewed version of the legal process the problem of deterring the good guys from their day in court is exacerbated and everyone loses. The negative ramifications of the general public gaining worldwide access to sensitive legal information are larger than many realize. There are some avenues of access to protective court orders but unfortunately the legal process for obtaining that protection is not timely enough to prevent the instant accessibility of the Internet.

Some will argue that this “prominent placement phenomenon” stifles frivolous litigation due to the threat of public humiliation. The real question centers on those who need to engage in litigation such as divorce, discrimination or harassment cases that are in no way frivolous in nature. We do not what to become a society that stands in the way of legally protecting citizen’s rights.