The European Commission, in conjunction with the IT Companies Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft, unveiled a Code of Conduct that includes a series of commitments with the aim of combatting the spread of illegal online hate speech in Europe.
The Code of Conduct responds to the challenge of ensuring that online platforms do not offer opportunities for illegal online hate speech to spread virally. They share a collective responsibility and pride in promoting and facilitating freedom of expression online.
Amongst others, the Code of Conduct includes the following public commitments:
• Clear and effective processes to review notifications regarding illegal online hate speech so that the IT Companies can remove or disable access to such content;
• Upon receipt of such notification, the request will be reviewed against the rules of the IT Companies, against community guidelines, and where necessary, against national laws;
• Such notifications for removal of illegal hate speech are to be reviewed within 24 hours and access to such content be removed or disabled, if necessary;
• Education and awareness which users of the IT Companies will provide to their users about what types of content is not permitted.
Vĕra Jourová, EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, said, “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 radicalise young people and racist use to spread violence and hatred.
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.”
