Police have released the head of Google Inc's Brazil operations after his detention for not taking down YouTube videos a judge ruled violated local electoral law.

A police spokeswoman says Google executive Fabio Jose Silva Coelho was released after agreeing to appear in court at a still-undetermined date.

Legal experts and industry insiders said Thursday the case draws attention to what they call outdated Brazilian laws used to police the Internet.

Brazil's electoral laws limit what critics can say on television, radio and the Internet about political candidates.

Jose Zagallo is the head of the Brazilian bar association's commission focusing on information technology law.

He says Brazilian legislation allows for platforms such as Google to be blamed for content they cannot control.

- AP