bFederal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus (Greens) has expressed concern about the culture of debate on the Internet. “We are currently experiencing that there is less and less democracy online,” said Paus on Tuesday in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. That's why the Internet now needs to be recaptured to some extent. Paus wants to present a study on online hate at a press conference on Tuesday.
Although you can now report hate posts to the respective services, you have the impression: “It's just a huge tidal wave that comes over you, and with every post you report, ten or 20 or 100 or 1,000 more are added “, explained Paus. “That’s why I also felt very powerless at times.”
Paus: Help is important for those affected
Against this background, the Federal Minister for Family Affairs says she is happy “that there is now the Digital Services Act, which is now in force across Europe”. This law on digital services is intended, among other things, to ensure that illegal content such as hate speech is removed from the Internet more quickly after appropriate notices.
Paus explained that Germany is also working on further national legislation: “On the one hand, we actually have to take another look at regulation and see what we can do better.” But prevention measures against hate online also need to be improved. “I feel responsible for that.”
With regard to enforcement, the authorities “must now be in a position to actually work there,” Paus continued. In addition, concrete help for affected people is important so that they can enforce their rights.
Together with the “Competence Network Against Hate on the Internet”, Paus will present the results of a study on hate on social media this morning in Berlin. It was already said in advance: threats of violence, discrimination, blatant racism and anti-Semitism were the order of the day.