A German law requiring social media companies like Facebook and Twitter to quickly remove hate speech from their sites is set to be revised following criticism that too much online content is being blocked, according to officials.
The law, which came into full force on Jan. 1, is the most ambitious effort by a Western democracy to control what appears on social media. It aims to ensure Germany’s tough prohibitions against hate speech, including pro-Nazi ideology, are enforced online by requiring sites to remove banned content within 24 hours or face fines of up to 50 million euros ($62 million).
The law, called NetzDG for short, is an international test case and how it plays out is being closely watched by other countries considering similar measures.