Social media firms have increased removals of online hate speech – EU

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Social media firms have increased removals of online hate speech – EU

BY REUTERS

 

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Files

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Social media companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube have stepped up both the speed and number of removals of hate speech on their platforms in response to pressure from the European Union to do more to tackle the issue, according to the results of an EU evaluation.

 

Facebook won particular praise for reviewing most complaints within a 24-hour target timeframe set down in a code of conduct agreed in December by the European Commission, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube.

 

Calling the results “encouraging” for the Commission’s push for self-regulation, Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said the proportion of offending items taken down had doubled and action was being taken more quickly than when the EU checked six months ago.

 

“This … shows that a self-regulatory approach can work, if all actors do their part. At the same time, companies … need to make further progress to deliver on all the commitments,” Jourova said in a statement, adding that firms should provide more feedback to people who brought abuses to their attention.

 

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/social-media-firms-have-increased-removals-of-online-hate-speech-eu/22051/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Tech 2017-06-02
 

[Rancid]

Hmm, one person's hate speech is another's free speech, the problem with censorship of views is that in the end only one point of view will be tolerated. Orwell's Ministry of Truth comes to mind, the price of not going down that path is to have to hear opinions of idiots, still better than living in a Gestapo police state.