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Germany Approves Plans To Fine Social Media Firms Up To $57M (theguardian.com)
Social media companies face fines of up to 50m Euro ($57m) if they persistently fail to remove illegal content from their sites under a new law passed in Germany. From a report: The German parliament on Friday approved the bill aimed at cracking down on hate speech, criminal material and fake news on social networks -- but critics warn it could have drastic consequences for free speech online. Germany has some of the world's toughest laws covering defamation, public incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, with prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities. The measure requires social media platforms to remove obviously illegal hate speech and other postings within 24 hours after receiving a notification or complaint, and to block other offensive content within seven days. The German justice minister, Heiko Maas, who was the driving force behind the bill, said: "Freedom of speech ends where the criminal law begins."
whatever -ism, Germany is having another bout of authoritarianism that could be more fatal than the last one.
You *will* make people speak correctly or you *will* be fined! Germany Über Alles!
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
If someone takes a chalk marker and draws something anti-Semitic on a window, you must go after the window manufacturer!
Did they clearly define what exactly comprises "hate speech", or is it just generally anything someone complains about (unless you're a white christian male of course)?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Social media firms should not have to altogether delete hate speech, only make it inaccessible to IP addresses in Germany. The content should still be visible elsewhere unless the social media firm wants to delete it. Germany does not have the right to force it's draconian anti-free speech laws on the rest of the world. Laws that limit the ability to express ideas can and will be abused to censor ideas that are potentially threatening to the government. If Germany wants to leave the free world and become a repressive state, that's their business. However, the rest of the world should not have to abide by Germany's anti-freedom laws.
Making social media companies leaving the country? yes it is.
Look, all you have to do is use a social media platform that isn't a corporation with a presence in Germany. Self-hosting on a decentralized social media network is the best way to go and avoids those nasty ads and deceptive information gather/selling altogether. Sure, you're hateful rants about group XYZ wont reach as many people but you get what you pay for and you haven't paid jack shit.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
This is the most dangerous and stupid thing ever posted on this site. But even you, dear AC, who would so easily surrender your liberties, are allowed to spew your nonsense here, or anywhere.
Only crack the nuts that crack. You don't put the ones that don't crack in the sack.
If someone takes a chalk marker and draws something anti-Semitic on a window, and the owner of the window refuse to clean it up you indeed go after the window owner (not manufacturer incidentally, as facebook and social media are the owner, not manufacturer). See if you are getting reported that somebody put anti semite message on your window, then in germany you HAVE to remove it. Now you may culturally have grown in a place where one think *any* speech must be allowed (or nearly), that is fine and dandy, I am not about to debate the merit here. But the point is that your analogy is flawed - within the context of german law.
Disappointed. I was hoping they'd fine social media companies just for being social media companies.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
You can't mention that perhaps not all the immigrants flooding into Europe are refugees.
Also you can not disagree with the Swedens politicians when they say to the people that their country are no longer theirs and they must learn how to integrate themselves into these new cultures.
Or when the politicians say that their own country has no culture worth mentioning and needs some new and better ones.
Poland seems to be the only one standing up for their own culture.
This is not a restriction of Free Speech. Germans know the problem Americans refuse to acknowledge.
Hate Speech's only purpose is to incite violence, get people killed and destroy families.
Confusing Free Speech with Hate Speech is an American problem. While its recognized for what it is internationally there is nothing preventing it in America.
The message is clear in America. You can do say and do whatever you want under the guise of Free Speech, just let the Police take care of the fallout.
Based Stickman is the embodiment of this problem.
The violence will continue and the divide between Americans will widen as long as America continues to support Hate Speech.
There is no amount of diversity that can change this.