{"id":1841,"date":"2017-06-30T21:14:52","date_gmt":"2017-07-01T01:14:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=1841"},"modified":"2017-06-30T21:14:52","modified_gmt":"2017-07-01T01:14:52","slug":"delete-hate-speech-or-pay-up-germany-tells-social-media-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=1841","title":{"rendered":"Delete Hate Speech or Pay Up, Germany Tells Social Media Companies"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Delete Hate Speech or Pay Up, Germany Tells Social Media Companies<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

[More repression at the hands of former Communist Party operative in Stasi- riddled East Germany Angela Merkel. Social media giants threatened with huge fines for not removing dissent from their platforms.]<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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By\u00a0MELISSA EDDY<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>MARK SCOTT<\/span><\/span>

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A new law in Germany will require companies including Facebook, Twitter and Google, which owns YouTube, to remove any content that is illegal in Germany \u2014 such as Nazi symbols or Holocaust denial \u2014 within 24 hours of it being brought to their attention.<\/span>\u00a0Credit<\/span>Tobias Schwarz\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BERLIN \u2014 Social media companies operating in\u00a0Germany<\/a>\u00a0face fines of as much as $57 million if they do not delete illegal, racist or slanderous comments and posts within 24 hours under a law passed on Friday.<\/p>\n

The law reinforces Germany\u2019s position as one of the most aggressive countries in the Western world at forcing companies like\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, Google and\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0to crack down on hate speech and other extremist messaging on their digital platforms.<\/p>\n

But the new rules have also raised questions about freedom of expression.\u00a0Digital<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0human rights<\/a>\u00a0groups, as well as the companies themselves, opposed the law on the grounds that it placed limits on individuals\u2019 right to free expression. Critics also said the legislation shifted the burden of responsibility to the providers from the courts, leading to last-minute changes in its wording.<\/p>\n

Technology companies and free speech advocates argue that there is a fine line between policy makers\u2019 views on hate speech and what is considered legitimate freedom of expression, and social networks say they do not want to be forced to censor those who use their services. Silicon Valley companies also deny that they are failing to meet countries\u2019 demands to remove suspected hate speech online.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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