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

[ranzino]

Nothing is wrong with having left leaning or right leaning views if it doesn't fall into hate speech.

On the other hand, inciting violence, racism and xenophobia? Why should any civilized society tolerate that?

Depends on the difference between harsh opinion and hate speech.

[Tijuana]

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...op-hate-speech



Great stuff by the Germans!
Hopefully the fines are astronomical so that they will force these firms to act.

Let's all hope that other countries follow their lead.

I feel bad for Europeans who live under oppressive regimes, that lack basic human rights, such as free speech.

[Adolecent]

We in Europe (but escpecialy the Jews, ethnic Poles and other Slavs, Soviet citizens and Soviet POWs, Romanis, communists, homosexuals, Freemasons, Jehovah's Witnesses and the mentally and physically disabled) know everything about what can happen when we let "freedom of speech" roam free uncontrolled. There was a very high price payed for that lesson.

That that lesson seems to be forgotten by many (or over-shouted by many) should be a warning, allthough few will recognise the signs.

Right, so first example of hate speech is Holocaust denial? This is a prank, right?

You are pranking right? You don't know this? Denying genocide and/or the holocaust is illegal in;

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. And rightfully so!

[Mistame]

Saying that the holocaust never happened, and that Göbbels, Hitler et al never murdered 7 million people including blacks, gypsies, jews, intellectuals and handicapped isn't just "saying an unpopular opinion...

Except that it literally is.

[ranzino]

In most countries conspiracy-theorists are rather free to express their BS. I wouldn't want it changed.

holocaust denial is also the only conspiracy under ban.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Except that it literally is.

It is an attempt to rewrite history and paint what the Nazis did in a positive manner.

[Tijuana]

It is an attempt to rewrite history and paint what the Nazis did in a positive manner.

Would that not also be an opinion? Words have meanings, no matter how much we disagree with how they are put together.

[Adolecent]

I feel bad for Europeans who live under oppressive regimes, that lack basic human rights, such as free speech.

I feel bad for US citizens who would never be able to experiance living in a country under impartial rule of law.

[Trassk]

It is defined in the laws. These are visible to everybody (there is even an English translation whichi I linked earlier).

they've got laws in other countries that stop women for voting. Does that make them good laws?

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Would that not also be an opinion? Words have meanings, no matter how much we disagree with how they are put together.

You honestly don't see the problem with holocaust denial?

[Deleted]

But Twitter has been banning for actual hate speech for ages. Same with Facebook.
What do they want, instant ban for "I don't want more migrants in my country"?

[Tijuana]

I feel bad for US citizens who would never be able to experiance living in a country under impartial rule of law.

How is the law impartial, when there are no basic human rights, such as free speech?

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

they've got laws in other countries that stop women for voting. Does that make them good laws?

No, because those laws contravene the UN declaration of human rights. Not even close to the same thing.

How is the law impartial, when there are no basic human rights, such as free speech?

Don't forget guns. Gotta have guns /s

You have laws prohibiting inciting people to commit a crime, don't you?

[Pengekaer]

We in Europe (but escpecialy the Jews, ethnic Poles and other Slavs, Soviet citizens and Soviet POWs, Romanis, communists, homosexuals, Freemasons, Jehovah's Witnesses and the mentally and physically disabled) know everything about what can happen when we let "freedom of speech" roam free uncontrolled. There was a very high price payed for that lesson.

That that lesson seems to be forgotten by many (or over-shouted by many) should be a warning, allthough few will recognise the signs.

I see the little... uhm... deroute in Germany in exactly the opposite contrast. It wasn't extreme free speech that turned Germany into Nazies. It was absence of free speech from 1933 and onwards. Goebbels propaganda-apparatus made up whatever bogus-narrative suited them and nobody had the right to object, really. Because the government could, and did, bully, harrash, arrest (and bury) anyone who didn't conform.
How Germany 2016 - in principle - any different? It is yet again punishable by law to not conform.
Again, you people do realize that anti-hate speech laws give the government rights do whatever it wants, yes? If CDU gets replaces by AfD, they too could use such surveillance/censorship-laws and limit people's Freiheit. You take it for granted that these laws will be used to censor writings you don't like.
Censorship-laws open a portal to hell.

[Tijuana]

You honestly don't see the problem with holocaust denial?

I think it's completely ridiculous. But my opinion about another person't opinion doesn't change the meaning of the word opinion. Words have meanings, and you are a dictionary denier if you disagree.

[Sunseeker]

Would that not also be an opinion? Words have meanings, no matter how much we disagree with how they are put together.

Unfortunately some "opinions" are simply too egregious to be tolerated.

The tolerant have no compunction to put up with intolerance simply to appear more tolerant. Some levels of stupidity, ignorance and arrogance are simply: intolerable.

[Templar 331]

You honestly don't see the problem with holocaust denial?

No more so than climate change deniers. Forcing people into prison because they are ignorant is wrong.

[Mistame]

It is an attempt to rewrite history and paint what the Nazis did in a positive manner.

Someone spouting off about it, claiming it didn't happen is literally just voicing their opinion. To "rewrite history" they would actually have to, you know, actually rewrite history. And since everyone everywhere knows that it happened, well, yeah...

Unfortunately some "opinions" are simply too egregious to be tolerated.

And yet everyone is entitled to their opinion, regardless of how "intolerable" it is.

[Trassk]

No, because those laws contravene the UN declaration of human rights. Not even close to the same thing.

pretty certain they don't give a shit what the UN thinks, and the UN is a weak system that doesn't have much impact on creating universal standards.

[Sunseeker]

No more so than climate change deniers. Forcing people into prison because they are ignorant is wrong.

These are people for whom you could take them on a tour of a death camp, show them the mass gaves, replay footage from the time of what the Nazi's did and they would turn around and tell you it's all made up by the government to protect the Jews and the banks and screw over the white man.