Refugee loses case against Facebook over hate speech
The picture of Anas Modamani and Angela Merkel has become an emblem and target of the chancellor’s refugee policies
Berlin — Facebook won dismissal of a lawsuit involving a picture of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a Syrian refugee that raised questions about the social network’s duty to remove racist comments by its users. A German court in the city of Wuerzburg rejected an emergency bid by the refugee to force the company to block any post featuring the picture or repeating offensive statements that often accompanied the photograph. The judges said the country’s laws for content providers did not currently apply to internet platforms such as Facebook and legislators would need to change the rules to give 19-year-old Anas Modamani the relief he sought. The picture of Modamani and Merkel has become an emblem of the chancellor’s refugee policies. Modamani’s lawyer told the court it was posted by numerous users who had added libelous statements about his client, including falsely alleging he had taken part in terror attacks or had been responsible for the attempted murder of a homeless person....
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