Facebook launches controversial censorship campaign aimed at silencing racism and extremism

[Reefa]

Social network accused of free speech clampdown as it unveils plans to wipe out 'hate speech'

Facebook has launched a controversial censorship campaign designed to silence hate speech, extremism and "racism" in Europe.

 

It unveiled its brand new Online Civil Courage Initiative yesterday following months of discussion with the German government.

 

Although Facebook insists its strategy is about combating extremism, it does not make it clear whether this means Islamic terrorism, right wing racism or both.

 

Some critics of the scheme fear Facebook is under government pressure to censor discussion of the migrant crisis currently gripping Europe and Germany.

 

Announcing the launch of the initiative, Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, said: "The best cure for bad ideas is good ideas.

 

"The best remedy for hate is tolerance.

 

"Hate speech has no place in our society - not even on the Internet.

 

"Facebook is not a place for the dissemination of hate speech or incitement to violence."

 

The initiative was launched following long discussions with groups opposed to racism and extremism, as well as the German Federal Ministry for Justice.

 

Anetta Kahane of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation , an anti-racist group, said: "Right-wing extremism, racism and antisemitism are present in all walks of life in Germany.

 

"The digital civil society now faces the huge challenge of countering the hate in the network."

 

Free speech has become a hot button topic across Europe and particularly in Germany, where police and media were accused of trying to cover up the sickening Cologne sex attacks.

 

Germany has a long history of criminalising certain topics, particularly those relating to its Nazi past.

 

“After the Second World War, it was clear that anything that could re-create National Socialist or racist thinking had to be stopped,” Volker Beck of the country’s Green Party told the Washington Post.

 

“I’m a civil rights defender, but there has to be a red line.”

 

On Facebook, commentators claimed the measures were an assault on freedom of speech.

 

"Sad day for Germany," one man wrote.

 

"When a government censors speech, it has lost the moral high ground."

 

Another person raged: "How typically 'progressive' to name something with the word 'courage' when its whole point is that your feelings are hurt and you can't hear any words you don't like."

 

"This is all well and good, but are you also removing objectionable posts from Islamic extremists, who regularly use Facebook to recruit young people to join Jihad against the West?" one commenter asked.

 

Others hailed the initiative and called for the "trolls" who opposed it to be silenced.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/facebook-launches-controversial-censorship-campaign-7203347#rlabs=1%20rt$category%20p$5

 

[CODYQX4]

I've said it before, Political Correctness is just a trojan horse for censorship and repression. Meanwhile society allows a corporation to become their main means of communication, which can end-run around any nation's free speech laws by not being a government institution doing the censorship. They allow a corporation to tell them what's right and wrong to say, a corporation with it's own interests that will come down in full force on one side but blind eye the other side when it suits them.

 

Who gets to decide what "hate speech" is? I always associated it's true meaning to a KKK group openly calling and organizing for lynchings. Actual calls for violence and death. Calling for stricter vetting of refugees doesn't cross that line for me, even if the loudest people are true racists.

 

Today it's merely "offensive" = violent and hateful. Well this overly sensitive pussified world is offended about EVERYTHING, and doesn't even want to call out the people who are RAPING their wives, mothers, and daughters in fear someone will falsely accuse them of racism. Go look at the cesspit as Tumblr as the final conclusion to this madness. We truly deserve extinction. 

 

Hell, even saying "being overweight is unhealthy" is considered hateful bigotry towards fat people and we're all just intolerant and 500 lb people are totally 100% healthy right?

[OrbingStorm]

In the future what you just said will be called ..inciting rebellion, and punishable by law.So sad is the way of the world.

[CODYQX4]

7 hours ago, OrbingStorm said:

In the future what you just said will be called ..inciting rebellion, and punishable by law.So sad is the way of the world.

I'm sure it's already watchlist material, and without any calls to violence either.