Germany plans to fine social media sites over hate speech

[Verbose Matthias]

Source: Reuters

Tue Mar 14, 2017 | 11:14am EDT

Germany plans a new law calling for social networks like Facebook (FB.O) to remove slanderous or threatening online postings quickly or face fines of up to 50 million euros ($53 mln).

"This (draft law) sets out binding standards for the way operators of social networks deal with complaints and obliges them to delete criminal content," Justice Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement announcing the planned legislation on Tuesday.

Failure to comply could see a social media company fined up to 50 million euros, and the company's chief representative in Germany fined up to 5 million euros.

Germany already has some of the world's toughest hate speech laws covering defamation, slander, public incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, backed up by prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities. It now aims to update these rules for the social media age.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-fakenews-idUSKBN16L14G?il=0

[dlk]

1. We Should Have the Courage to do the Same

This is an excellent way to address the pathological avarice that is unraveling the fabric of our democracy. We all decry the coarsening of our culture. Well, let's do something about it. Kudos to Germany for having the courage we Americans, with our love affair with profits at all cost, seem to lack.

[Kimchijeon]

3. Yes, we should.

[FakeNoose]

2. Germany should just shut them down

Maybe it won't change anything, but the fine probably doesn't mean anything either. Offending sites aren't going to pay the fine, however the threat of shutting down might mean something.

Germany is a country with conscience and principles so they need to be the one to set an example.