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Germany Cracks Down On Illegal Speech On Social Media. (smh.com.au)
ArmoredDragon writes: German police have raided 36 homes of people accused of using illegal speech on Facebook and Twitter. Much of it was aimed at political speech. According to the article, "Most of the raids concerned politically motivated right-wing incitement, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office, whose officers conducted home searches and interrogations. But the raids also targeted two people accused of left-wing extremist content, as well as one person accused of making threats or harassment based on someone's sexual orientation."
This comes just as a new law is being debated that can fine social media platforms $53 million for not removing 70% of illegal speech (including political, defamatory, and hateful speech) within 24 hours of it being posted, which Facebook argues will make it obligatory for them to delete posts and ban users for speech that isn't clearly illegal.
This comes just as a new law is being debated that can fine social media platforms $53 million for not removing 70% of illegal speech (including political, defamatory, and hateful speech) within 24 hours of it being posted, which Facebook argues will make it obligatory for them to delete posts and ban users for speech that isn't clearly illegal.
Yes, there should.
The classic yelling fire in a crowded theater is a good example. Asking someone to commit murder is another example.
In this case, each nation has a different history and culture. The US has a very different history when it comes to Nazi's and antisemitism than many European nations. We allow Neo-Nazis to say the trash that they say because we believe that evil thrives in the dark and hates the light. Germany is a free democratic nation so if the citizens of Germany want to have those limitations then that is up to them.
I admit that I prefer the system in the US where you can express any idea or political thought but we limit profanity and sexual content. Those limitations do not prevent people from expressing ideas they just limit the words and images used to express them.
Each free and democratic nation must try and find the balance that works for them.
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I am not sure whether racist speech should be limited or not. I am sure that I prefer limiting racist speech over limiting sexual content (assuming consent). I don't get it what's up with you americans and sexuality.
Avantgarde Hebrew science fiction
I'm not saying "work within the system" the system is corrupt and does not represent it's people, any attempt to work with the system just creates more prisoners. The people have a duty to replace their government with a government that represents them.
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This is not "yelling fire in a crowded theater", in any way, shape, or form. That theory is used incessantly to justify suppression of speech. In this case, it is being used to *intentionally suppress political speech that is not in accordance with the current government position*, which is the sort of speech that requires the most protection.
Germany's history of anti-semitism is not the issue. If you examined the history of anti-semitism of Germany, it's hardly any different in theory from anyplace els - anti-semitism has been a recurring theme throughout history.
What *is* different is their history of oppression that led to the most appalling - and efficient - attempt at genocide in human history. The root of this was permitting repression in favor of the government, leading to a dictatorship. This allowed thugs with delusions of racial superiority to take over.
The Germans are *dead wrong* to criminalize speech, because as soon as you do, you permit someone else to decide what "hate" means - just like 1933.
Guess who insisted that criminalising Nazism was a pre-condition for an independent Germany?
Oh wait, it was those enlightened Free Speech activists known as the USA.
"I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
You dumbshits...
The Nazi's were in power for two decades.
The redefinition that came afterwards, the one that labeled the Nazi's as "right wing" is based on the notion that fascism is right wing, but it isn't. Every major case of fascism so far in the world has been from the left. The Nazi's rose to power as the workers party, and so did the Fascists of Italy.
Adolf Hitler - Rose to power via NAZI - National Socialist Workers Party
Mussolini - Rose to power via PSI - Italian Socialist Party
You dont get to change the facts of history buddy. Fascism comes from the left, again and again.
"His name was James Damore."