HATE SPEECH LAWS
States put screws on social networks over self-censorship
As fake news and trolling grow, the EU is pushing Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to comply with hate speech laws
The pressure for social networks to censor the content that appears on them just won’t cease, and the networks are bending. Censorship, however, is not what users want. Nor is it technically possible, even if the platforms won’t admit it. The EU is pushing Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to comply with member states’ hate speech laws. In the US, many in the media and on the losing side of the recent presidential campaign would like to see the platforms take action against fake news. Unlike in cases involving abuse of market dominance (the charge Google faces in Europe) or the release of users’ private data (over which Microsoft has fought the US government), the platform owners aren’t fighting back. In May, Facebook, Twitter, Google’s YouTube and Microsoft signed a code of conduct in which they promised to review most hate speech reports within 24 hours and remove content that they find illegal. The EU wasn’t content with that; Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova voiced di...
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