New Social Media Fine Regulations: Questions

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            The German government is to fine social media for failing to remove criminal posts after a particular duration after the posts have been reported. This fines will ensure social media companies such Twitter and Facebook are not used as avenues that impose and instigate dangers to open, free and democratic living in German. The fines are also to make these companies improve their current approaches to removing these criminal posts based on the fact that Twitter only removes approximately 1% of this content from its platform.

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            This proposed law to fine social media outcomes will ensure that social media is not abused by criminals who have the intention of manipulating the interests of the general public during elections and in matters regarding to racism (BBC, 2017). Other positive outcomes include the fact that the regulations will make social platforms for friendlier to minors who are easy swayed by fake news and hate speech connotations. Finally, it will improve the monitoring of social media platform especially as avenues that are used to facilitate and organize terrorism activities.  

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            Some of the negative impacts include the probable effect these laws will have on the freedom of speech especially as social media companies will be compelled to introduce measures that may remove any suspicious posts in the interest of averting fines. There is also the probability that social media and utilization may fall into the strict censorship imposed by the government in the name of averting the effects of propaganda, fake news and hate speech.

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            I think that the right to post on any social media platform is equivalent to any rights under the freedom of speech. Therefore, I should be allowed to post whatever I like on social media platforms. The ability to express my opinion about illegal immigration without necessarily provoking hate speech is vital to expressing my campaign for the freedom of association.

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            In order to stem the tide of fake news and hate speech Facebook has introduced new technological tools that will enable the quick and easy identification of these criminal posts. Furthermore, it has rolled out a public education campaign that redirects after clicking adverts on its platform to give users ideas and steps to take in order to easily recognize propaganda and fake news. Finally, the company has taken measures such as teaming up with other social media such as Google and even local news media (Thomas, 2017).

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            I feel that the description of hate speech posts and fake news posts as illegal and criminal is justified. The use of fake news can be used to manipulate the outcome of elections, and with the help of social media for mass communication, defame the reputation of many such as Clinton’s alleged involvement in a child molestation ring. I have encountered such situations where fake news was used to cause mass panic in an African airport about Ebola which was causing mass deaths in West Africa at the time.

References

BBC. (2017). Social media firms faces huge hate speech fines in Germany. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39506114 Thomas, T. (2017). Facebook to tackle fake news with educational campaign. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39517033