Germany to revise social media law — because too much online content is blocked
Berlin — A German law requiring social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to quickly remove hate speech from their sites is set to be revised following criticism that too much online content is being blocked, according to officials. The law, which came into full force on January 1, is the most ambitious effort by a Western democracy to control what appears on social media. It aims to ensure Germany’s tough prohibitions against hate speech, including pro-Nazi ideology, are enforced online by requiring sites to remove banned content within 24 hours or face fines of up to €50m ($62n). The law, called NetzDG for short, is an international test case and how it plays out is being closely watched by other countries considering similar measures. German politicians forming a new government told Reuters they want to add an amendment to help web users get incorrectly deleted material restored online. The lawmakers are also pushing for social media firms to set up an independent body ...
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