Germany to force Facebook, Google and Twitter to act on hate speech

[Amnaught]

Censorship? Pretty sure it's action on hate speech which most decent, civilized people support. Of course there's gonna be some racists that are upset but why should the government care?

In America, we have this thing called free speech. The freedom of speech comes with the freedom to say things that hurt your feelings.

[Deleted]

Im going to to say "hate speech" doesn't exist. In fact the only exception to free speech I can sort of understand (but not agree with) is call to action and thats only because some people are easily influenced morons. Denying that fact would also make call to action ok btw.

[Deleted]

But they did change.
In the past they tried to please the fascists. They allowed hatespeech.
That's why they learned of their mistake: It's important to deal with this bullshit.

Thats nonsense.. they banned "happy SJW speech". Banning any kind of speech is bad. Also for your information, they didnt allow "hate speech" back then they also banned "hate speech" but it was a different kind of hate speech, politically correct for those times.

[Karon]

In America, we have this thing called free speech. The freedom of speech comes with the freedom to say things that hurt your feelings.

The USA are never a good example for anything, this just proves that point.

[Maybach]

One persons free speech is another persons hate speech

Who decides which is which?

[ranzino]

Germany isn't introducing any new laws, it's telling internet-companies that German citizens also have to follow the German law on the internet.

bolded problem here; it's not facebook's duty to discipline its costumers.

[Deleted]

There are many forms of "Freedom of Speech"

As for the "United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights"-version of it. Germany is clearly in the green.

US version = fuck everything, everyone is free.
Most europe versions = are trying to make sure that other human rights are not harmed by it

[God Save The King]

Goodbye Mr. Trump in Germany.

[ranzino]

There are many forms of "Freedom of Speech"

As for the "United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights"-version of it. Germany is clearly in the green.
....

UN version is more like First Amendment, not the "but...but...thou shalt not be mean" german stuff.

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

[Deleted]

UN version is more like First Amendment, not the "but...but...thou shalt not be mean" german stuff.

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 12.


No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

It goes both ways.

also most important

Article 1.


All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

[Danuru]

Moral and ethical issues aside, I have a serious question for anyone who may be able to answer. Can Germany realistically enforce it? What's to stop these sites from simply refusing to pay any fines? None of them are based in Germany as far as I know. Or is there something I'm missing?

[Deleted]

Moral and ethical issues aside, I have a serious question for anyone who may be able to answer. Can Germany realistically enforce it? What's to stop these sites from simply refusing to pay any fines? None of them are based in Germany as far as I know. Or is there something I'm missing?

Pretty sure Facebook is not only Facebook anymore, they probably have something something something in every other country or so that makes them punishable/sanction-able (is that even a word?).

edit: maybe it's unclear, so it's worth mentioning that the german Goverment isn't interested in whether they 100% succeed or not, they want them to put in "enough effort" to regulate it themselves and respect the laws. They are not interested in any kind of prosecution or criminal assessment.

[ranzino]

Article 12.


No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

It goes both ways.

also most important

Article 1.


All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Your bolded part is nice and dandy, but doesnt cover the so called "hate speech" facebook is told by germany is hate speech. art 12 also wont protect you from harsh critics.

[Deleted]

Your bolded part is nice and dandy, but doesnt cover the so called "hate speech" facebook is told by germany is hate speech.

Why not?
I think it clearly does, because hate speech is hate speech (it is only considered hatespeech if X and Y applies) and has nothing to do with critique or anything like that.
What do you think does the German Goverment considers as "hate speech"? We already had a few examples in another thread (a few weeks or month ago) were people got fined in Germany because they said stuff that was clearly conflicting with said article.

[Loosecannon]

I guess my biggest problem with this would be the subjective nature of what constitutes hate speech. In my opinion it gives too much power to the people who get to define what is deemed 'hate speech'.

[ranzino]

.....
What do you think does the German Goverment considers as "hate speech"? We already had a few examples in another thread (a few weeks or month ago) were people got fined in Germany because they said stuff that was clearly conflicting with said article.

"kill all muslims" is ofc not covered by freedom of speech; so far so good. but german laws are more into "political correctness" also.

[Deleted]

Acting against Hate Speech is not the same as Censorship.

But obviously mmo-champ is as usual full of idiots who don't understand.

Committing a crime on the internet should be treated in the same way as if done irl. Simple?

[Bullettime]

Acting against Hate Speech is not the same as Censorship.

But obviously mmo-champ is as usual full of idiots who don't understand.

Committing a crime on the internet should be treated in the same way as if done irl. Simple?

It's also great for targeting and shutting down Islamic extremists, white supremacists, etc that use social media for recruitment but currently aren't being touched by any of the social media juggernauts.

Basically, you're still free to voice your opinion, as long as that opinion being voiced isn't calling for destruction of other races, religions, etc or you aren't using social media for slander.

- - - Updated - - -

Moral and ethical issues aside, I have a serious question for anyone who may be able to answer. Can Germany realistically enforce it? What's to stop these sites from simply refusing to pay any fines? None of them are based in Germany as far as I know. Or is there something I'm missing?

Enforcing it isn't a matter of "hey we'll take you to court." It's more "show us that you're making attempts to get rid of this filth or we can block access in our country and you lose assloads of money over nothing."

[Eazy]

I remember when people made group named Saint Mary is a fucking dirty hoe with really ugly photoshops in comments and after reporting it nothing happened for about a week, but when someone said that Islam is exhorting to murder infidels the post was immediately deleted in 5 minutes after report.

If they're going to make it, then make it fair for everyone. I don't care, I don't write stupid stuff on the Facebook, I'm usually using it to contact with friends/family, liked a few groups connected with my hobbies... and that's all probably.

[Deleted]

I hope we can all follow germany's lead on this issue!