Tech Giants Vow to Tackle Online Hate Speech Within 24 Hours

[Wilikon]

U.S. Internet giants Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc., Google and Microsoft Corp. pledged to tackle online hate speech in less than 24 hours as part of a joint commitment with the European Union to combat the use of social media by terrorists.

Beyond national laws that criminalize hate speech, there is a need to ensure such activity by Internet users is “expeditiously reviewed by online intermediaries and social media platforms, upon receipt of a valid notification, in an appropriate time-frame,” the companies and the European Commission said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

The code of conduct arrives as Europe comes to terms with the bloody attacks in Paris and Brussels by Islamic State, which has used the Web and social media to spread its message of hate against its enemies. The companies said it remains a “challenge” to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and hate speech in the self-generated content on online platforms.

“We remain committed to letting the Tweets flow,” said Twitter’s head of public policy for Europe, Karen White, in the statement. “However, there is a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate.”
Platforms Sued

A French Jewish youth group, UEJF, sued Twitter, Facebook and Google in Paris this month over how they monitor hate speech on the web. In the course of about six weeks in April and May, members of French anti-discrimination groups flagged unambiguous hate speech that they said promoted racism, homophobia or anti-Semitism. More than 90 percent of the posts pointed out to Twitter and YouTube remained online within 15 days on average following requests for removal, according to the study by UEJF, SOS Racisme and SOS Homophobie.

“With a global community of 1.6 billion people we work hard to balance giving people the power to express themselves whilst ensuring we provide a respectful environment,” said Monika Bickert, head of global policy management at Facebook, in the statement. “There’s no place for hate speech on Facebook.”



http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-31/tech-giants-vow-to-tackle-online-hate-speech-within-24-hours

[Wilikon]

EU links up with Twitter, tech firms to combat hate speech



 BRUSSELS (AP) -- The European Union reached an agreement Tuesday with some of the world's biggest social media firms, including Facebook and Twitter, on ways to combat the spread of hate speech online.

Under the terms of a code of conduct, the firms, which also include YouTube and Microsoft, have committed to "quickly and efficiently" tackle illegal hate speech directed against anyone over issues of race, color, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin. The sites have often been used by terrorist organizations to relay messages and entice hatred against certain individuals or groups.

Among the measures agreed with the EU's executive arm, the firms have said they will establish internal procedures and staff training to guarantee that a majority of illegal content is assessed and, where necessary, removed within 24 hours. They have also agreed to strengthen their partnerships with civil society organizations who often flag content that promotes incitement to violence and hateful conduct. The European Commission and the firms have also agreed to support civil society organizations to deliver "anti-hate campaigns."

"The internet is a place for free speech, not hate speech," said Vera Jourova, the EU commissioner responsible for justice, consumers and gender equality. She added that the code of conduct, which will be regularly reviewed in terms of its scope and its impact, will ensure that public incitement to violence to hatred has "no place online."

The firms themselves say there's no conflict between their mission statements to promote the freedom of expression and clamping down on hate speech.

Twitter, which has been at the center of much of the hate speech that's spread online over the past few years, says it will continue to tackle the issue "head-on" along with partners in industry and civil society.

"We remain committed to letting the Tweets flow," said Twitter's European head of public policy Karen White. "However, there is a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate."

And Facebook's head of global policy management Monika Bickert urged the company's 1.6 million users to use the site's in-built reporting tools in the event they find content they consider unacceptable.

"Our teams around the world review these reports around the clock and take swift action," she said.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_EUROPE_HATE_SPEECH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-31-08-44-12

[Buffer Overflow]

So we're not allowed to opening hate ISIS anymore?

[Lethn]

Guarantee you this will be selectively enforced as it always is and they won't do a damn thing about Muslims and SJWs spamming anti-semitism, I fucking hate all of these people with a passion.

However, there is a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate.

There is, but you don't follow that distinction at all.

[Wilikon]

Internet 2.0 is coming, thanks to them apparently.

[alyssa85]

They'll probably do this using an algorithm that searches for "trigger" terms. Which will result in people substituting/inventing other words and just carrying on...

[Buffer Overflow]

I fucking hate all of these people with a passion.

Oh dear, just been red flagged for inciting hate online. 

[Wilikon]

How long before bitcointalk.org is targeted as a hate site?

[Lethn]

I fucking hate all of these people with a passion.

Oh dear, just been red flagged for inciting hate online.  

The sad thing is I probably could go to jail for that if someone wanted it enough and they were of the right demographic, this kind of thing is definitely making me want to leave the UK even if the leave side of the EU referendum wins, my country is such a shit hole for this type of thing.

[bryant.coleman]

How long before bitcointalk.org is targeted as a hate site?

Most probably it is already flagged as a hate site. Not sure about it though... need to check with those Southern Poverty Law Center guys and Reverend Pussy Jackson. Still it doesn't make much of a difference. I am living in a country where the freedom of speech is guaranteed (although I am not sure for how long it will stay like that).

[Wilikon]

How long before bitcointalk.org is targeted as a hate site?

Most probably it is already flagged as a hate site. Not sure about it though... need to check with those Southern Poverty Law Center guys and Reverend Pussy Jackson. Still it doesn't make much of a difference. I am living in a country where the freedom of speech is guaranteed (although I am not sure for how long it will stay like that).

We know lots of projects are in labs all over the world for the next decentralized social network. Lots of very, very smart folks are surfing on bitcointalk. I hope the bitcointalk.org gods are working hard on 2.0 right now because things will change for the worse for freedom of speech.


Isn't time the ones with a forward vision start looking for a backup instead of waiting for them to come after us?


http://www.worthofweb.com/website-value/bitcointalk.org/

[Evildrum]

Saw something similar about trolling and thought that was overreaching due to the fact they would not have context or idea of conversation flow to out right know who is trolling and most likely will be abused.

As usual the premise is good but I fear the way it will be enforced will be strategic or lacking against certain groups. How can they crack down on hate when its part of ones religion?

[Wilikon]

Saw something similar about trolling and thought that was overreaching due to the fact they would not have context or idea of conversation flow to out right know who is trolling and most likely will be abused.

As usual the premise is good but I fear the way it will be enforced will be strategic or lacking against certain groups. How can they crack down on hate when its part of ones religion?

Ask yourself who will be the supreme justice warriors...

[Buffer Overflow]

My soul has just been threatened with eternal damnation in a lake of boiling fire and brimstone if I don't believe in a certain God.

Where do I report this hate speech crime?

[Wilikon]

My soul has just been threatened with eternal damnation in a lake of boiling fire and brimstone if I don't believe in a certain God.

Where do I report this hate speech crime?

The feminist hotline.

[Wilikon]

[Wilikon]

[virtualx]

Censorship is already taking place on many topics such as drugs or weapon trade, but it did not stop it from occurring. On the contrary, they create separate systems to communicate. 

I think therefore, it is very dangerous to do this kind of censorship. Not because the "message" may not be dangerous, but that the people will stop from using those systems (Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Google) for communication altogether.

What is your opinion?

[bryant.coleman]

Not because the "message" may not be dangerous, but that the people will stop from using those systems (Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Google) for communication altogether.

What is your opinion?

Nope. Most of the people simply don't care about the censorship. Only a few middle-aged white males may make some noise over it, and they are a small minority. The others are not much bothered. They will go on with their lives. Facebook is having almost 1.6 billion users as of now, and they won't worry much if one or two million leave.

[Evildrum]

Not because the "message" may not be dangerous, but that the people will stop from using those systems (Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Google) for communication altogether.

What is your opinion?

Nope. Most of the people simply don't care about the censorship. Only a few middle-aged white males may make some noise over it, and they are a small minority. The others are not much bothered. They will go on with their lives. Facebook is having almost 1.6 billion users as of now, and they won't worry much if one or two million leave.

Do not care,meaning they will not be bothered to fight for it,but if asked I think people would rather not have censorship issues. Be interesting to see if the numbers fluctuate even a little when these companies get hit with
stories that show them to be restrictive in nature!

When something comes along and it will eventually,the down fall will be swift like a punch to the gut.

Since 9/11 its beens a slow grind on the people to give up more rights and lately it feels like its been turned up a notch.