France Mulling New Laws To Curb Hate Content In Social Media

(RTTNews) - The French government is considering the introduction of new laws that will make Internet companies like Google and Facebook liable for social media posts inciting terrorism, Bloomberg reported.

This comes against the backdrop of the Charlie Hebdo massacre by Islamic terrorists that, apart from creating a global outcry, put pressure on France to spare no efforts in tackling the menace.

Terrorist organizations like the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have been known to tap the online media to incite religious hatred, attract followers and to carry out dreaded attacks against innocent civilians.

According to Bloomberg, President Hollande spoke in Paris on Tuesday about a new law that would make internet operators "accomplices" of such offenses. A draft of the legislation could be made next month and challenges messages across social media platforms.

"We must act at the European and international level to define a legal framework so that Internet platforms which manage social media be considered responsible, and that sanctions can be taken," Hollande said. The president was talking at a memorial for Jews deported in World War II.

Recently, Hollande urged internet companies to crack down on illegal material and help in tracking potential criminals who pose a risk to the public.

Meanwhile, Bernard Cazeneuve, France's interior minister, said he plans to travel to the U.S. to discuss the possibility of intervention with big tech companies, including Twitter, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook.

France's focus on online hate speech only underscores how such media content could act as a catalyst for macabre attacks by terrorists. France already has made a string of anti-terror proposals recently, including stronger social media surveillance.