Germany approves bill targeting online hate, fake news

Germany’s cabinet approved a new bill Wednesday on curbing hate comments and fake news on social media.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ministers agreed on rules that would impose fines of up to 50 million euros ($53.4 million) on social networking sites that fail to swiftly remove illegal content, such as hate speech or defamatory “fake news.”

Justice Minister Heiko Maas said that companies offering such online platforms are responsible for removing hateful content.

Maas said, “Just like on the streets, there is also no room for criminal incitement on social networks.”

The minister added that measures to combat hate speech and so-called fake news will ultimately have to be taken at the European level to be effective.

The bill still needs parliamentary approval.

In Israel, similar legislation was introduced by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, which would allow the state to seek court orders to force social media sites to remove certain content based on police recommendations.

The Facebook Bill overwhelmingly passed its first reading in the Knesset in January, but has since stalled.

Shaked subsequently proposed an additional bill that would impose heavy fines on social media networks that refuse to remove inciting content.

She told Army Radio that the inspiration for the fines came after a meeting with Maas, who relayed that Berlin has found the imposition of fines to be an effective deterrence.