Setback for free speech in Germany: Twitter bows to censorship

This is unfortunate:

Twitter waded into potentially perilous territory on Thursday when it blocked users in Germany from access to the account of a neo-Nazi group that is banned by the government here.

The move was the first time that Twitter acted on a policy known as “country-withheld content,” announced in January, in which it will block an account at the request of a government. But the company cracked open the gates to a complex new era in which it will increasingly have to referee legal challenges to the deluge of posts that has made the site so popular.

The company said the goal was to balance freedom of expression with compliance with local laws. “Never want to withhold content; good to have tools to do it narrowly & transparently,” Alexander Macgillivray, the company’s chief lawyer, wrote on Twitter.

Those outside of Germany can read the Twitter feed for the neo-Nazi group Besseres Hannover here. 

I don't believe that in 2012 Germany should be criminalizing hate speech, even from neo-Nazi organizations. These groups should be watched closely, but they have no chance of gaining much traction in a strong democratice republic.  Democracy depends on free spreech - even speech that we hate. 

Unfortunatlely, commitment to free speech seems to be eroding, even in the United States:

In the United States, where speech is given the most protection among Western countries, there has been a recent effort to carve out a potentially large category to which the First Amendment would not apply. While we have always prosecuted people who lie to achieve financial or other benefits, some argue that the government can outlaw any lie, regardless of whether the liar secured any economic gain.

The dangers are obvious. Government officials have long labeled whistleblowers, reporters and critics as “liars” who distort their actions or words. If the government can define what is a lie, it can define what is the truth.

It is about time that Germany stop criminalizing hate speech - even Holocaust-denial.  It would make for a stronger democracy and a more open society.  The idiocy of the neo-Nazis will become only more marginalized - instead of being martyred.

The very right that laid the foundation for Western civilization is increasingly viewed as a nuisance, if not a threat. Whether speech is deemed imflammatory or hateful or discriminatory or simply false, society is denying speech rights in the name of tolerance, enforcing mutual respect through categorical censorship.

As in a troubled marriage, the West seems to be falling out of love with free speech. Unable to divorce ourselves from this defining right, we take refuge instead in an awkward and forced silence.

 

Comments

[Zyme]

I always had the impression that the strict rules to "freedom" of speech in Germany are based upon fear of the established parties.

Fear - I suppose it is open to discussion whether it is founded or not.

When it comes to the positive value associated to national unity in politics, Germany is no different than other Central European countries. Countries like Hungary ;-)

[David]

Zyme- I hope you're not implying that suppressing free speech leads to national unity.

[koogleschreiber]

Not the freedom of speech is affected but the freedom to read. However, as long as blocks like this can easily be by-passed through proxies, nothing is really affected. For nazis, there is always light at the end of the TUNNEL...
I wonder whether the use of proxies will ever be prohibited in Germany (or the EU!)one day.

[Zyme]

Not at all David.

What I meant is that the established parties for some reason are afraid to death of right wing movements.

And since national unity has a special value to people in central european countries, in their eyes there is always the risk that movements like in Hungary spread and have success.

That is why (in their points of views) they must suppress freedom of speech, to keep nationalist ideas at bay.
Which I find is a striking parallel towards the governments on German soil in the 1830s / 1840s.

[David]

I don't see groups like Fides - with the racism and crude nationalism - gaining much traction in Germany. Another reason why censorship in Germany is a big mistake...

[German translator]

It was interesting to know the various facts about the goal was to balance freedom of expression this article is really good keep it up.

[android applications]

It doesn't mean free speech knows no limit nor boundaries. There's some sensitive area not to mention about especially if you are planning to twittertize it.

[Ute Tray]

This could be a good action to blocked users who are posting unacceptable posts! We do have speech freedom but we must use it correctly.