December 27, 2015
Media Coverage:
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has called on Facebook, Google and Twitter in Australia to implement a policy they have agreed to institute in Germany, in which hate speech will be deleted from their websites within 24 hours. This measure signifies a new step in the fight against online racism and will make it easier for users and groups fighting bigotry and prejudice to report hate speech to specialist teams at the companies and to have that content speedily removed.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“The escalation of cyber-hatred, and the proliferation of extremist websites that flow unchallenged is a cause of growing concern for the ADC. The internet, with its tremendous global reach and scope, has become the prime distribution and marketing platform of choice for racists and terrorists who exploit it to get their dangerous messages out instantaneously, anonymously and inexpensively. Facebook, Google and Twitter should not allow their platforms to be used by hate-mongers, white supremacists, and terrorists to spread their propaganda virally, recruit members, and foster self-radicalization. We call on the three companies to exercise their good judgement and to remove, within 24 hours, those pages. We concur with the words of German Justice Minister Heiko Maas who said that, “When the limits of free speech are trespassed, when it is about criminal expressions, sedition, incitement to carry out criminal offenses that threaten people, such content has to be deleted from the net. And we agree that as a rule this should be possible within 24 hours.” Hate-filled pages and websites clearly violate the companies’ values and standards, and by failing to remove them speedily, they are contributing to the social acceptability of prejudice, the promotion of violence and vilification.”
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677
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