Facebook's Move Against Hate Speech, With 500 New Helpers

A new law would fine social networking sites for failing to remove content
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 23, 2017 11:30 AM CST
Facebook Adds Staff to Combat Hate Speech
Employees of CCC in Essen, Germany on Thursday.   (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Facebook is adding 500 more contractors in Germany to review content posted to the social media site, after a new law came into force targeting online hate speech, the AP reports. The company says the staff will work for a service provider called CCC at a new office in the western city of Essen that was formally opened Thursday. German lawmakers approved a bill in June that could see social networking sites fined up to 50 million euros ($59 million) if they persistently fail to remove illegal content within a week.

Critics say the law could force Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to decide what is legal or not. Together with an existing office in Berlin, Facebook will have more than 1,200 people reviewing posts in Germany by the end of the year.

(More Facebook stories.)

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