[JURIST] Lawyers for Google [corporate website; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday filed an appeal in Spanish court hoping to overturn orders from Spanish authorities to remove websites that allegedly violate privacy rights. Spain’s Data Protection Agency [Privireal backgrounder] filed 90 orders for Google to remove the websites from its database. This case is the first of its kind [AP report], Google told the Associated Press, and it argues a ruling against it would hurt freedom of expression.

In August, Spanish officials announced in a separate case that Spain had launched an investigation [JURIST report] into whether Google violated privacy laws while collecting information over Wi-Fi networks for its Street View maps. Madrid judge Raquel Fernandino issued a subpoena for an appearance by a Google representative over a lawsuit filed by Apedanica, a Spanish association of Internet users. Apedanica claims that Google’s actions violate Spain’s criminal code, which prevents people from accessing certain electronic communications other than for authorized purposes. Multiple investigations are also pending around the world in connection with accusations that Google has unlawfully collected private data.