EU hails social media crackdown on hate speech

February 04, 2019

EU officials on Monday hailed progress in the fight against online hate speech, saying major technology companies have significantly increased their ability to combat the phenomenon.

“Companies are now assessing 89 percent of flagged content within 24 hours, and promptly act to remove it when necessary,” said Andrus Ansip, European Commission vice president for the digital single market. “This is more than twice as much when compared to 2016.”

Technology companies, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft, are removing 72 percent of flagged content within that period, up from 28 percent in 2016. EU officials said a Code of Conduct to tackle online speech established that year has proved successful, but noted more needed to be done.

“The fight against illegal online hate speech is far from over,” said Vera Jourova, European Commission for justice. “We have no signs that such content has decreased on social media platforms. But we do have signs that the Code of Conduct is a tool which can contribute to robust response to the challenge.”

Read more: Opinion: Fake news and alternative facts target EU’s core

Hate speech crackdown

In 2016, the EU established the Code of Conduct as a way to pressure social media platforms to crack down on hate speech. That year, tackling online hate speech as well as disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing elections became pivotal policy objectives for European governments.

The Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, passed a law in 2017 that allows authorities to fine social media companies who fail to remove hate speech posts that violate German law within 24 hours. Companies could be fined up to €50 million ($57 million) under the law.

However, some companies have pushed back. In 2018, Facebook refused to remove Holocaust denial content. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg told tech news website Recode at the time: “I don’t believe that our platform should take that down because I think there are things that different people get wrong. I don’t think that they’re intentionally getting it wrong.”

Critics have described legislation forcing technology companies to delete content as attempts at censorship. But EU officials on Monday said that while the Code of Conduct was voluntary at the moment, Brussels reserved the right to enact regulation to combat hate speech.

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Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Free speech or illegal content?

Whether hate speech, propaganda or activism, governments across the globe have upped efforts to curb content deemed illegal from circulating on social networks. From drawn-out court cases to blanket bans, DW examines how some countries try to stop the circulation of illicit content while others attempt to regulate social media.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Social media law

After a public debate in Germany, a new law on social media came into effect in October. The legislation imposes heavy fines on social media companies, such as Facebook, for failing to take down posts containing hate speech. Facebook and other social media companies have complained about the law, saying that harsh rules might lead to unnecessary censorship.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Right to be forgotten

In 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that European citizens had the right to request search engines, such as Google and Bing, remove “inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive” search results linked to their name. Although Google has complied with the ruling, it has done so reluctantly, warning that it could make the internet as “free as the world’s least free place.”

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Blanket ban

In May 2017, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Russian social media platforms and web services. The blanket ban affected millions of Ukrainian citizens, many of whom were anxious about their data. The move prompted young Ukrainians to protest on the streets, calling for the government to reinstate access to platforms that included VKontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social network.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Safe Harbor

In 2015, the European Court of Justice ruled that Safe Harbor, a 15-year-old pact between the US and EU that allowed the transfer of personal data without prior approval, was effectively invalid. Austrian law student Max Schrems launched the legal proceedings against Facebook in response to revelations made by former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Edward Snowden.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Regulation

In China, the use of social media is highly regulated by the government. Beijing has effectively blocked access to thousands of websites and platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Instead, China offers its citizens access to local social media platforms, such as Weibo and WeChat, which boast hundreds of millions of monthly users.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Twitter bans Russia-linked accounts

Many politicians and media outlets blame Russia’s influence for Donald Trump’s election victory in 2016. Moscow reportedly used Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram to shape public opinion on key issues. In October 2017, Twitter suspended over 2,750 accounts due to alleged Russian propaganda. The platform also banned ads from RT (formerly Russia Today) and the Sputnik news agency.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies

Facebook announces propaganda-linked tool

With social media under pressure for allowing alleged Russian meddling, Facebook announced a new project to combat such efforts in November 2017. The upcoming page will give users a chance to check if they “liked” or followed an alleged propaganda account on Facebook or Instagram. Meanwhile, Facebook has come under fire for not protecting user data in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Author: Lewis Sanders IV (dj)