Microsoft, Facebook, YouTube and Others Agree To Remove Hate Speech Across the EU

Tech giants in conjunction with European Union are taking a stand to fight hate speech. Microsoft, Twitter, YouTube, Google, and Facebook have launched "code of conduct" aimed at fighting racism and xenophobia across Europe. The companies aren't legally obligated, but have agreed to "public commitments" to review the "majority of valid notifications for removal of illegal hate speech" in less than 24 hours, and make it easier for law enforcement in Europe to notify the firms directly. From a TechCrunch report: Tech companies will have to find the right balance between freedom of expression and hateful content. Based on the code of conduct, they'll have dedicated teams reviewing flagged items (poor employees who will have to review awful things every day). Tech companies will also educate their users and tell them that it's forbidden to post hateful content. They'll cooperate with each other to share best practice. They'll encourage flagging of hateful content and they'll promote counter speech against hateful rhetoric. It's good to see that this issue got escalated and the European Commission was able to come up with a code of conduct quite quickly. Instead of making tech companies deal with every single European country, they can agree on rules for the EU as a whole."The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech," Vera Jourova, EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, wrote in the European Commission press release. "Social media is unfortunately one of the tools that terrorist groups use to radicalise young people and racist use to spread violence and hatred. This agreement is an important step forward to ensure that the internet remains a place of free and democratic expression, where European values and laws are respected."

Comments

What could go wrong?

[transami]

No slippery slope here, no sir.

Emacs

[110010001000]

Thank goodness. Now I am free to express my view that Emacs is the best editor and no one can attack me!

who decides what is "hate speech"???

[ganjadude]

exactly. who gets to decide what hate speech is real and what is imagined? will facts equal hate speech??? will not believing in some political views equal hate speech???

this is going to go very very badly

Re:who decides what is "hate speech"???

[lgw]

Hasn't it already gone very badly in some countries? When an MP is arrested for hate speech for a speech given on the floor of parliament, it has gone very badly. When it's illegal to discuss (one side of) a political issue, such as immigration, even by lawmakers it has gone very badly indeed.

Why do they remind you of that?

[SuperKendall]

The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech

What? What speech was said that triggered the attacks? The attacks would have been done regardless of what anyone said.

Even if you buy into the nonsense the west is responsible for the attacks that is still because of something the west DID, not because of what they SAID.

In the end the "illegal online hate speech" will be anything that displeases the ruling class. History has shown us again and again how well it turns out when all news is just censored propaganda.