Tag Archives: Heiko Maas

Germans Rage As New Hate Speech Law Backfires

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Germans Rage As New Hate Speech Law Backfires

by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge – January 7, 2018

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-07/spare-us-thought-police-germans-rage-new-hate-speech-law-backfires

As we reported recently, in what was officially a noble attempt to eliminate online hate speech in social media, and unofficially a devious crackdown on free speech, on January 1, 2018, Germany passed a law that forces websites to censor content deemed illegal under the new law and have it deleted within 24-hours. Ironically, as we observed last week, just hours after the law’s passage it immediately backfired when it claimed its first victim, a German satirical magazine’s Twitter account which “parodied anti-Muslim comment.”

Incidentally, this perfectly predictable if “totally unexpected” outcome is exactly what we, and many others had warned would happen. And now, it is finally dawning on Germany that any time the government gets involved in defining what is allowed and what isn’t – especially when it comes to that most fundamental of liberties, free speech – the result is always a disaster.

According to Germany’s top-selling, and most popular newspaper, Bild, the new German law meant to curtail online hate speech is “stifling free speech and making martyrs out of anti-immigrant politicians whose posts are deleted.”

The law which took effect on Jan. 1 can impose fines of up to 50 million euros ($60 million) on sites that fail to remove hate speech promptly and threatens the profitability  of such social media giants as Twitter and Facebook.

“Please spare us the thought police!” read the headline in Wednesday’s Bild above an article that called the law a “sin” against freedom of opinion enshrined in Germany’s constitution, Reuters reported.

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While the law requires social media sites to delete or block obviously criminal content within 24 hours, Bild Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt said it could be applied against anything and anyone since there was no definition of what was “manifestly unlawful” in most cases.  Intended to prevent radical groups from gaining influence, “it was having precisely the opposite effect,” he warned.  “The law against online hate speech failed on its very first day. It should be abolished immediately,” Reichelt wrote, adding that the law was turning AfD politicians into “opinion martyrs”.

* * *

Two examples where the German law was already applied, included tweets deleted by AfD lawmaker Beatrix von Storch criticising police for tweeting in Arabic, saying they had sought “to appease the barbaric, Muslim, rapist hordes of men”. Police have since asked prosecutors to investigate her for possible incitement to hatred.

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There was also deleted tweet by another AfD member of parliament, Jens Maier, called Noah Becker – the son of former tennis champion Boris Becker – a “half-nigger”.

In response to the criticism, Germany’s Justice Minister Heiko Maas defended the law, telling Bild that freedom of opinion did not mean carte blanche to spread criminal content on the internet.

“Calls to murder, threats, insults and incitement of the masses or Auschwitz lies are not an expression of freedom of opinion but rather attacks on the freedom of opinion of others,” he said.

Germany is no stranger to limiting free speech: the country has some of the world’s toughest laws on defamation, incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, with prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities.  Maas said social networks needed to stick to the law like everyone else, adding: “Those who care about protecting freedom of opinion can’t just look on as criminal incitement and threats inhibit the open exchange of views.”  And so, the government refuses to back down even as the rest of Germany realizes what a profound chilling effect the new law will have on online speech everywhere. Once the lawsuits start flying and the social networks are punished a few hundred million, it will only embolden the critics, who will then lash out again “anything and anyone” because, as the Bild editor correctly noted, “there is no definition of what was manifestly unlawful.” Incidentally, this inexplicably broad definition, one which puts any content creator immediately on the defensive, is precisely what the government intended.

AfD: German Hate Speech Law Destroys Freedom of Speech, Bans Political Dissent

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AfD: German Hate Speech Law Destroys Freedom of Speech, Bans Political Dissent

January 5, 2018

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201801051060538457-germany-hate-speech-law-freedom-of-speech/

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Germany’s new “hate speech” law, which regulates posting on Twitter and Facebook, is a restrictive measure targeting freedom of speech and political dissent in the country, AfD member Albert Breininger told Sputnik Friday.

“Here in the AfD, we are very critical of this law. It is another restrictive measure and a tool of repression against freedom of speech and of the press. It aims at preventing people and politicians from bringing up certain issues and expressing their political views, including on the existing problem of Islamization,” Breininger said.

The politician recalled that deputy leader of the AfD’s parliamentary faction Beatrix von Storch’s tweet was blocked on Tuesday by the social media giant, citing that the message had run afoul of Germanlaws.

“German police have filed a complaint against Beatrix von Storch over a tweet on New Year’s Eve, where she criticized Cologne police for sending a New Year’s greeting in Arabic on Twitter,” he said.

Germany’s hate speech law, also known as NetzDG after its full German name, aims to regulate social media platforms and to make sure hate speech and terror propaganda is removed from the networks, came into full force on Monday.

The legislation was approved by the Bundestag in late June. According to the law, introduced by German Minister of Justice Heiko Maas, all materials containing hate speech or propaganda for terrorism must be deleted within seven days, or within 24 hours in cases of clearly illegal content. Systematic violations of the requirements would be dealt fines of up to 50 million euros ($57 million).

HEY, HAVE WE GOT THE MATCH FOR YOU!

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HEY, HAVE WE GOT THE MATCH FOR YOU!

Former winner of East Germany’s Miss Universe Contest, now single, is looking for the far right man. Are you that lucky man? Find out with eHarmony! That’s “e” for ethnic!

Above, bubbly former Stasi informant Anetta Kahane , has been charged by Chancellor Merkel’s Minister of Justice Heiko Maas with the task of monitoring Facebook to discover”xenophobic” posts, whose authors will be fined and imprisoned, Ex-Stasi Agent Hired to Censor “Xenophobic” Facebook Posts » Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

We at eHarmony.ca pride ourselves in finding the right match for you. Someone who will understand where you are coming from and what you are thinking and posting.

If you are a single man looking for Ms. Right, or in this case Ms. Left, then Anetta is the gal for you. She is a single, well indoctrinated, with a secure job and a handsome income. In other words, she has a lot to bring to the table.

There are many adjectives that would fit this fun-loving lady. Outgoing, upbeat. effervescent, bubbly and buoyant are but a few of them. But it is her trademark Leftist sense of humour that she is most noted for. In turn, she likes a good laugh too, except that if your one-liners are judged to be Islamophobic, xenophobic or racist, the joke will be on you, Herr Brownshirt.

Suffice to say that Anetta can be the life of the party, especially if that party is like the DDR’s Socialist Unity Party (SED) or lately, the CDU (same difference).

As full disclosure is one of the conditions that eHarmony requires of its clients, whether they be men seeking women or women seeking men, we must point out that like all human beings, Frau Kahane does on occasion show her warts. But let’s be realistic, Ms. Right can never be Ms. Perfect. Not in this world. And besides, you are not getting any younger, are you? Beggars can’t be choosers, can they now? Adjust your standards man.

The jealous type, Anetta will confess that she is somewhat of a stalker. Just out of habit, she will monitor her man, track his movements and report his comments to her superiors. It all goes to show that a leopard can’t change its spots.

If anything, Anetta is first and foremost a career woman, and pleasing her superiors is just as important as pleasing you. Look, this is 2016 and you can’t expect a woman to forfeit career satisfaction or upward mobility and build a life just around you, can you?

Well, whatever her faults may be, you can count on one thing. Anetta is consistent. She doesn’t have those ups and downs that many women have. She is the same woman now that she was then, before 1989. Young at heart. The only difference is that back then, Anetta liked walls. But now she wants all the walls to come down. Just like her boss Angela. Or her soul mate, Hillary.

Bottom line: don’t despair, young man. You will not have to live out your days as a bachelor, or a widower if that is your present status. The opportunity is there for the taking. Take heart, for as the saying goes, for every Jack, there is a Jill—or an Anetta. And eHarmony will find her for you. Of course you and your true love will have your differences but as Canadian Prime Minister Justice Trudeau continually reminds us, it is our unbridgeable differences that make us strong. There is “Unity in Diversity”. Repeat that often enough and you will come to believe it. Or else.

So say goodbye to loneliness. You will never have to be alone again, unless you are sent to a prison for a thought crime because a former Stasi informant ratted on you. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut. If you grew up in the DDR, that should be second nature to you anyway, right? And if you are not yet ready to do that, we can always send you to training camp in Sweden for conditioning. If they can’t find a spot for you, Canada will do. By the way, you just have tosee Canada’s model “re-education” camp, adorned with a sign over the entrance gate that reads “Diversity will set you free”. See, you feel “vibrant” already, don’t you? Admit it.

If you are interested, we can connect you to Anette, or send screen shots of your postings on twitter in care of her address, by way of an introduction. If you need an escort, we can arrange that too, and remand you to her custody in the basement of the Berlin Hohenschonhausen, once renowned for its gracious hospitality.

Naturally, like anyone who is suddenly confronted by the woman of his dreams, you can expect to be a little stage-struck at first. Rendered speechless in fact—if fines and imprisonment haven’t already done the trick. But don’t worry, if the cat has got your tongue, Anetta will make you talk. She is that kind of woman. Charm is her middle name.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Bet on love with eHarmony!


Tim Murray, CEO