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EU Set To Demand Internet Firms Act Faster To Remove Illegal Content (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the pace-it-up dept.

Companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter could face European Union laws forcing them to be more proactive in removing illegal content if they do not do more to police what is available on the Internet. From a report: The European Union executive outlines in draft guidelines reviewed by Reuters how Internet firms should step up efforts with measures such as establishing trusted flaggers and taking voluntary measures to detect and remove illegal content. Proliferating illegal content, whether because it infringes copyright or incites terrorism, has sparked heated debate in Europe between those who want online platforms to do more to tackle it and those who fear it could impinge on free speech. The companies have significantly stepped up efforts to tackle the problem of late, agreeing to an EU code of conduct to remove hate speech within 24 hours and forming a global working group to combine their efforts remove terrorist content from their platforms.

5 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. lowest common denominator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    If any country can decide speech is illegal, we're just going to have the lowest common denominator.

    1. Re:lowest common denominator by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Yup...

      Hate speech?

      There is no such thing a "hate speech"...there is only speech.

      And please do not confuse "hate speech" with incitement to violence against a group, they are two different things, and the latter is already illegal (at least in the US).

      But voicing opinions, even if distasteful, should never be illegal and just because you find it in poor taste or against your morals, doesn't make it hate speech or something that should be banned or made illegal.

      You should step back and think what speech you agree with now and is more common that could have been suppressed not that long ago if it had been banned like you are wanting to do now.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  2. The fastest way to ruin a good thing.. by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ..is to get too many people involved in it.
    47% of the people alive on the planet today have access to the internet -- call it 3.3 billion people.
    I'd say that's more than enough to ruin the Internet, sooner or later. Which is what we're seeing here today.

  3. Trusted flagger by PPH · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is a trusted flagger? Is there a certification and licensing program in place? How about indemnity insurance should the flagger incorrectly call for a takedown and damage some group or the content hosting company as a result?

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  4. *sigh* Here we go again. by fustakrakich · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Until we can unchain ourselves from the ISP, there is no hope. We need a real P2P internet with multiple routing that can't be shut down. Without it the tyrants will always win.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”