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Facebook, Twitter and other social media companies have been given an ultimatum by the European Union: rid your platforms of hate speech or face legal consequences.
European regulators have been pushing social media firms to remove racist and violent posts from their platforms in a timely manner for years. Their patience is running out.
Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and Google have all pledged to do more. In May 2016, they promised to review a majority of hate speech flagged by users within 24 hours and to remove any illegal content.
But the European Commission, EU's top regulator, said Thursday they are still failing to act fast enough. It said it would pass laws allowing the EU to impose punishments on companies that fail to act.
"The situation is not sustainable: in more than 28% of cases, it takes more than one week for online platforms to take down illegal content," said Mariya Gabriel, the EU's top official in charge of the digital economy and society.
The Commission said it will consider implementing new laws to tackle the problem if the online platforms fail to "take swift action over the coming months."
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/28/technology/hate-speech-facebook-twitter-europe/index.html
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday September 30 2017, @05:58PM (1 child)
I'm tired, and headed to bed. But, I'll give your question as much asnwer as my foggy brain can come up with . . .
Government - any government - after it actually becomes a government - becomes almost something like a living thing. It grows, it assumes ever more power, and ever more character. The people under that government approve of that government's growth, either tacitly or explicitly. Tacit approval is given if no one rebels against that government, despite any papers, blogs, books, or whatever. All governments will have their fringe loonies who are clamoring for rebellion, but until a critical mass is reached, it's just so much hot air.
If the masses consent to live under US government that includes 24/7 surveillance of all residents - then we have tacitly approved of the government's assumption of both authority and power. In point of fact, we have done precisely that. The outrage and uproar over NSA suveillance of all electronic communications is sadly missing.
Getting back on track, the US government exercised eminnent domain a few times prior to the establishment of the Interstate Highway System. But, the interstates were the broadest, and in some cases, the most forceful invocation of Eminent Domain. And, we accepted it. We, the American people, have accepted the fact that the US government can kick us out of our homes, and use our land for whatever purposes it deems appropriate.
You, or I, may fight an individual case against the government, and we may even win that individual case - but the authority has been asserted, and accepted.
The authority is a fait accompli. There's no changing that now, it's history. At best, we might fight to establish that government must pay double, triple, or quadruple the market value, if/when it exercises eminent domain. No one should be booted out of their homes, and paid pennies on the dollar - instead they should be compensated in full, PLUS something for their inconvenience.
But, when government needs something, it's going to get that something. Our parents and grandparents accepted the idea, so it's law now.
Collectively, "we the people" have much more authority and power than any of us "people". That is a fact of life.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 30 2017, @06:44PM
I could certainly agree with the statement 'collectively, a large group of people have much more power than any of us individual "people". That is a fact of life.' I also appreciate your willingness to engage on this subject, sleepy or not. =)
What I completely disagree with is the notion that a group of people possess more and greater authority than a single person all by himself does. Authority is justification to use power. Power is mere force. Power is a very useful tool, and like most tools, can be misused to inflict great harm.
What is the magic number that turns a mob into "We the People"? If I understand your post correctly, your answer appears to be "just enough to secure an overthrowing of government", which seems to suggest that you have said that "the ends justify the means". (I don't disagree that this is so from a historical perspective, for after all, "if it succeeds, none dare call it treason".)
Do you see or acknowledge a distinction between power and authority? Do you actually assert that "the ends justify the means"? I'm willing to continue this discussion if you're willing to clarify or confirm those points.