Google fined in Romania for "attack" on People's Cathedral

Romania's National Council for Combatting Discrimination (CNCD) has sanctioned Google Romania with a RON 10,000 (EUR 2,050) fine for not reacting when the name of the biggest Orthodox cathedral in the country was changed on Google Maps, G4Media.ro reported.

At the beginning of May, the name of the People's Salvation Cathedral (Catedrala Mantuirii Neamului in Romanian) was changed on Google Maps to People's Fooling Cathedral (Catedrala Prostirii Neamului). The name remained changed for a few days, determining a harsh reaction from the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), which called this an "attack."

"The Christophobia of some people who end up committing the act of stealing on Google Maps the name of a building that the Orthodox Church with the natural support of the Romanian State erects in memory of all the heroes in the history of this Christian country indicates a dangerous moral pathology that already does a lot bad to Europe and the world that Christianity has civilized over two millennia," BOR spokesman Vasile Banescu said at that time, according to Stirileprotv.ro.

The anti-discrimination watchdog has decided that Google's deed represents discrimination and violates the right to dignity, according to G4Media.ro.

Google Romania is also obliged to publish a summary of the decision with a link on the first page of the Google site, the Romanian version, for ten days.

CNCD also recommended that Google Bucharest should inform the shareholders about similar situations, in the future, translate the code of conduct into Romanian, and make the reporting system accessible (including in Romanian).

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Alberto Grosescu)