Internet hate speech

Zardon

As European leaders move to ban Internet hate speech and seek support from the United States, civil liberties groups charge that the proposal would violate free-speech rights.

The Council of Europe--not to be confused with the European Union--comprises 44 European countries, plus a handful of non-European nations. Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States have observer status only, but their comments are sought.

The council recently voted to outlaw "acts of a racist and xenophobic nature conducted through computer systems." The measure was added to the Convention on Cybercrime, criminalizing hacking, intellectual property violations, and use of computers to commit fraud. The first set of rules was signed in November 2001.

more details http://www.idg.net/ic_968434_1794_9-10000.html

kinetic

Is nothing sacred? They'll be banning the 'Flame Warzone' next!

skastel

This is stupid, it's insisting that somehow it's not a crime to denounce someone, but if you denounce the color of someone's skin it's a crime then. The motive for the crime shouldn't be punished the crime itself should. If someone kills a man, it shouldn't what color the victim's skin was, same for the defendant. Hate should be outlawed if racism and xenophobia are going to be, otherwise, leave the whole damn situation alone(aka practical, sensible solution).

JavaFox

This is really nothing new, and is characteristic of European views on freedom of speech and expression. France, Germany, Italy, and England already have numerous laws that already limit what the people of Europe can and can't say.

merry

Hate is an emotion and cannot be banned as such - expression of hatred can be banned, but the results are - hm - questionable. The attempt to ban something reveals the fear of the authority...

So, if this is really 'characteristic of European views on freedom of speech and expression' - which I couldn't tell - then European leaders are concerned with the effects that hate speech - Internet related or not - might have on their countries' populations.

I leave in Eastern Europe (Romania) and I don't have a clear idea of what these things are like in Western Europe.

reno

Hate speech...bah. No one ever defended the WHITE man when someone insulted him calling him white trash, inbred, redneck, honky, or cornbread. Bah.

JavaFox

Likewise, you never hear anyone defending men when feminazis say things like "all sex with a man is rape!" And you certainly see no push by anybody for men's issues.

It's the "license to overkill" phenomenon. If you're a group that's been oppressed in the past, you're allowed --for whatever reason-- to go completely overboard in your criticisms of others.

reno

And with the concurrence of thought betwixt JavaFox and Reno, the universe comes one step closer to exploding.


I don't owe any minority or majority anything, respect, money, time, anything! Just like they don't owe me shit. If I want respect or money, I earn it, I don't fucking whine about it so the government subsidizes my worthless reservation, or gives me jobs because of a quota, or because they're the ruling party.

We're freaking humans, if only everyone, including the minorities would play on a level playing field....


*spits on the "dis-equal" rights program*