German court tells EBay to protect children more

KARLSRUHE, Germany, July 12 (Reuters) Internet auction companies such as EBay must tighten measures to prevent material harmful to children being sold online, a top German court ruled today.

The Federal Court of Justice said firms could not just restrict themselves to blocking the sale of material harmful to minors like pornography and violent games once they became aware of it, they also had prevent it being sold again in future.

The verdict followed a complaint against EBay by an industry association representing sellers of video and media goods.

''EBay has created a serious risk of the company being used by sellers to distribute items harmful to children,'' the court said in a statement.

The court added EBay needed to monitor sellers of corrupting wares more closely, but that no obligations were imposed on the firm which would endanger its entire business model.

REUTERS AM RK2051