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EU, IT giants cooperate to combat illegal online hate speech

Xinhua, May 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Commission, together with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft, unveiled a code of conduct that includes a series of commitments to combat the spread of illegal hate speech online in Europe, said the Commission in a press release on Tuesday.

These IT giants support the European Commission and European Union (EU) member states in the effort to respond to the challenge of ensuring that online platforms do not offer opportunities for illegal online hate speech to spread virally, according to the press release.

"The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech. Social media is unfortunately one of the tools that terrorist groups use to radicalize young people and racists use to spread violence and hatred," said Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality.

"This agreement is an important step forward to ensure that the internet remains a place of free and democratic expression, where European values and laws are respected. I welcome the commitment of worldwide IT companies to review the majority of valid notifications for removal of illegal hate speech in less than 24 hours and remove or disable access to such content, if necessary," added the Commissioner.

By signing this code of conduct, the IT companies commit to continuing their efforts to tackle illegal hate speech online.

This would include the continued development of internal procedures and staff training to guarantee that they review the majority of valid notifications for removal of illegal hate speech in less than 24 hours and remove or disable access to such content if necessary.

They would also endeavor to strengthen their ongoing partnerships with civil society organizations who will help flag content that promotes incitement to violence and hateful conduct.

Moreover, these IT companies and the European Commission aim to continue their work in identifying and promoting independent counter-narratives, new ideas and initiatives, and supporting educational programs that encourage critical thinking.

These IT giants believed that the code of conduct would not only guide their own activities, but can also help share best practices with other internet companies, platforms and social media operators, according to the press release. Endit