Germany Policies Affecting Disinformation
Legislation
The German "Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz" law (The Network Enforcement Act), which went into effect in 2017, targeting hate speech on social media platforms that have over 2 million members, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. If platforms allow content that is deemed "obviously illegal" to remain, they may be subjected to a €50 million fine.[1]
In June 2020 the German government reformed the Net Enforcement Act to broaden the scope of content which platforms must remove.[2] [3] The reformation strengthened the appeal process to allow users to contest content removal.
There has been criticism that this law lacks necessary safeguards for free speech due to its vague scope and it has been put under review by politicians.[4]
The German government is also working to update its media regulatory framework to ensure that video platforms have algorithms that do not arbitrarily make some content less visible and to ensure that the algorithms give priority to journalistic content information regarding the algorithm's workings is easily accessible.[5]
In 2020 the Bundestag is preparing to strengthen its hate speech laws and make online platforms notify law enforcement and in certain cases disclose to the authorities users' identities when incidents have occurred.[6]
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National Policies Affecting Disinformation
- ↑ https://www.loc.gov/law/help/fake-news/germany.php
- ↑ https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/19/germany-tightens-online-hate-speech-rules-to-make-platforms-send-reports-straight-to-the-feds/
- ↑ https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2020/kw25-de-rechtsextremismus-701104
- ↑ https://cpj.org/2020/10/germany-revisits-influential-internet-law-as-amendment-raises-privacy-implications/
- ↑ https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/disinformation-german-approach-and-what-learn-it
- ↑ https://www.disinfo.eu/resources/member-state-actions