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EU To Give Internet Firms 1 Hour To Remove Extremist Content (go.com)
European authorities are planning to slap internet companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook with big fines if they don't take down extremist content within one hour. From a report: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a speech Wednesday that the Commission is proposing the new rules as part of efforts to step up the bloc's security. He said that removing material within an hour is important because it's "the critical window in which the greatest damage is done." The EU's executive body said "propaganda that prepares, incites or glorifies acts of terrorism" must be taken offline. Content would be flagged up by national authorities, who would issue removal orders to the internet companies hosting it. Those companies would be given one hour to delete it. The proposal, which still needs approval from EU lawmakers and member states, would be a departure for the EU, which until now has allowed online companies to a take a voluntary approach to battling extremist content. The one-hour rule was among a series of recommendations the Commission made in March to fight the spread of extremist content online.
Of Europe.
"propaganda that prepares, incites or glorifies acts of terrorism" I guess most of the news will have to be taken down. This seems really easy to abuse. But Europe has a narrower version of free speech, so it's really no surprise.
Yeah, that is what I thought.
Personally I think it is insane that a search engine or indexing company should be in any way responsible for pointing to content that is publicly available on the Internet. I can see take down orders to ISPs hosting content (assuming the content is illegal in the jurisdiction where the servers are), but going after people telling you where the content exists is scary.
It's a slippery slope and not that far from making the statement "If you go to the library, you can learn out to build a bomb" illegal.
And if you remove it at 59:59, it has almost all the impact of that window while 100% compliant. Doesn't make any sense at all. It's allowed to be online for the whole critical window, so what's the point?
It sounds good, but who defines "extremist content" or worse "incites acts of terrorism". It might be clear to you and me what this would be, but how about if you don't agree with what people say who are in control of this definition? You don't think a huge government entity will use it's power to remove content against it's view or agenda? Especially since in their point of view it could "incite acts of terrorism". How about the term "hate speach"? Say something someone doesn't like and it's "hate".
I hope people wake up soon. Rarely do rights get given back by a government body. They usually have to be ripped from their cold dead hands.
I mean, ok, if it is islamic jihad saying "blow xyz up"...that's pretty easy.
But if it is some one that gets on and says something racist, or sexist, or some other -ist of the day.....do they compel them to take it down, when it isn't actually promoting violence or damage to someone or some group?
I know other parts of the world don't have a 1A in their constitutions, but it should be something that most all strive towards, and especially on the internet...it has long been a way for anyone to hook a computer on and have an equal voice in the world.
It may not be popular or in good taste what they say, but all speech needs to be protected as long as it isn't inciting direct violent, etc......
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Let's see if I have this straight. It's 0313 on Sunday morning during the August holidays and the security guard -- the only living entity in the facility -- gets a call from some dude who claims to be European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and is told to remove a racist slogan from somewhere on some website. The ISP now has 1 hour to verify the call isn't a prank, identify the right file, trace through a bunch of obscure Javascript, and get the proper web site off the air. Riiiiiight. No problem there. What could possibly go wrong?
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
Bingo, you got it right there. Nothing what so ever to do with extremist content. One hour notice, to pull any political comment and then weeks to put it back up only to have to pull it back down again an hour latter. What is the directive about, bulk 'er' accidental mass political censorship.
Want to pull something from the internet, do it in court you cunts. If it really was illegal, not only will you get the content pulled but get to hand out a custodial sentence for a criminal act but oh no, that is not what you want, nothing at all to do with crime, oh know wait it is, electoral crimes. Basically using the offices of government to actively and routinely censor the opposition and the public.
Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen