Over 30 homes were raided in Germany this week for hateful postings over social media, which included threats, coercion, and incitement to racism. Social media users are already subject to a range of punishments for posting illegal material, but Justice Minister Heiko Maas is championing further laws that crack down on hate speech: these new statutes would force networks to offer a readily available complaint process for posts that may amount to threats, hate speech, defamation, or incitement to commit a crime, among other offences.



Under German law, social media users are subject to a range of punishments for posting illegal material, including a prison sentence of up to five years for inciting racial hatred. Under the draft statute, networks must offer a readily available complaint process for posts that may amount to threats, hate speech, defamation or incitement to commit a crime, among other offences. Social media outlets would have 24 hours to delete “obviously criminal content” and a week to decide on more ambiguous cases.

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Source: [H]ardOCP – German Police Are Raiding Homes over Hateful Postings on Social Media