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In the early days of the web, the "safe harbor" principle was the gold standard: platforms were generally not responsible for what their users posted, provided they removed illegal content once notified. But in 2013, a judgment indexed as by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sent shockwaves through the digital world by challenging that very idea. The Case: Delfi AS v. Estonia

The case began when , one of Estonia’s largest news portals, published an article about a ferry company. The article itself was neutral, but it sparked a wave of highly offensive, threatening, and defamatory comments from readers directed at the ferry company's owner. 126635

As we navigate an era of AI-driven moderation and increasing regulation, looking back at the Delfi case helps us understand how we got here. Alternative Interpretations In the early days of the web, the

The judgment focused on "manifestly unlawful" speech—think hate speech or direct threats of violence—rather than just standard insults. Estonia The case began when , one of