Press group warns Peru ruling threatens press freedom, historical record

The Inter American Press Association (SIP) has voiced strong concern regarding a Peruvian court's decision that mandates the removal of three news articles published in 2014 by Empresa Editora El Comercio. The court cited violations of the right to be forgotten, honor, and informational self-determination for a plaintiff who had been linked to a criminal organization in the original reports.

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The solution should have been to remove the content, rather than apply measures that limit its dissemination without eliminating it.

SIP, headquartered in Miami, warned that this ruling sets a troubling precedent. The organization views the order to delete content as a disproportionate measure that could significantly impact press freedom and the preservation of historical records online. The plaintiff, Lorena Bellina Schrader, had been associated with the "Red Orellana" organization based on a witness's testimony to a congressional commission, though a subsequent official report cleared her of responsibility. The newspaper had updated the articles, but the court deemed these updates insufficient.

Pierre Manigault, president of SIP, questioned the decision to erase content entirely. He stated that while the impact of outdated information is understood, deleting content is not the appropriate solution. "The solution should have been to remove the content, rather than apply measures that limit its dissemination without eliminating it," Manigault said, adding that the decision is "excessive and potentially dangerous for press freedom and the record of online historical information."

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excessive and potentially dangerous for press freedom and the record of online historical information.

Martha Ramos, president of SIP's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, highlighted that less restrictive alternatives exist. She suggested that more visible updates to articles could protect individuals without resorting to content deletion. Ramos emphasized that erasing old content weakens the historical record and undermines the press's role in tracking matters of public interest.

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if se empiezan a borrar contenidos antiguos, se debilitará el registro histórico y el rol de la prensa en el seguimiento de temas de interés público.