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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Tue, Dec 3rd 2002 11:33am





Internet Hate-Speech Ban Called 'Chilling'

from the indeed dept

A proposed ban throughout much of Europe for any sort of "hate speech" online is alarming civil liberties groups in the US. The Justice Department here has (of course) said that they won't support such a ban since it goes against our First Amendment rights (it's amusing that they say this as they trample plenty of our rights at the same time). Again, though, this brings up the issue of local laws and internet jurisdiction. If Europe bans these sites, they'll simply move the US, and then what happens? Lawsuits are going to fly and no one knows who really has say over what.

5 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    It's because Europe has way more Hate Crimes

    identicon
    dorpus, Dec 3rd, 2002 @ 12:10pm

    Skinheads are ten times as prevalent over there (and I quote this from law enforcement guides). Here, we have all these open dialogues on race, get thorough training in school to not be racist, but over there they prefer to sweep the problem under the rug. Many people over there still think that racism is something that only exists in America.

    Hence, European governments are faced with the dilemma of allowing free expression, therefore explosive racism, or suppressing it.



    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Alarming civil liberties groups in the US

    identicon
    LittleW0lf, Dec 3rd, 2002 @ 1:00pm

    Since when has civil liberties groups in the US not been alarmed about the civil rights of foreign citizens, or US citizens for that matter. The funniest April 1st message I saw once was a message about the ACLU suing the ACLU for civil rights violations for recusing itself in order to prevent it from making a fool of itself...

    Then again, as all those websites move this way, all of our technology sites will move that way due to DMCA concerns, and status quo will be maintained.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Dec 3rd, 2002 @ 3:33pm

    What if you hate the French? Does that count as hate speech?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    LittleW0lf, Dec 3rd, 2002 @ 7:12pm

    What if you hate the French? Does that count as hate speech?

    Everyone hates the French, even the French hate the French (cause the French hate everything)...so I don't see how this could possibly be considered hate speech. [Obvious Satire Intended, some of my best friends are French]

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Dec 4th, 2002 @ 10:02am

    I think that the French should establish the "Maginot Firewall" to keep the Germans from cyber-attacking them. But I'm sure the Germans would just go around that too and the French would be destined to repeat their centuries old motto ........ "WE SURRENDER!"

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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