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.

Comments

Who gets to decide what is extreme?

[Nkwe]

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.

Re: Censor what WE say is unacceptable ...

[cayenne8]

Yeah...I"m wondering who is the judge of what is extremist and must be removed?

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......