Content related to Germany Bishop Dieser of Aachen: Europe must defend its secular culture Bishop Dieser of Aachen examines our sixth principle, “Respect the believer but not necessarily the content of the belief”. The UK can show the way on platform regulation. But not by treating Facebook and Google as publishers Mark Bunting argues that the tech giants should accept ‘procedural accountability’. The left’s version of hate speech: guilt by association Leftists who argue for hate speech bans ignore the far left’s own version, argues Eric Heinze. The erosion of European journalism Caroline Lees describes the work of the European Journalism Observatory, and what it is has observed. The ‘lying press’ and the crisis of confidence in German media Maja Sojref and Sarah Glatte explore the growing public disillusionment with the mainstream press in Germany. Can a book be too dangerous for the public? Sebastian Huempfer examines the tortured controversy around republication of a copyright-free Mein Kampf in Germany. Should Europe introduce a right to blasphemy? Alain Bouldoires talks to Timothy Garton Ash about the survival of blasphemy laws in Europe, and calls for a ‘right to blaspheme’. Nineteen arguments for hate speech bans – and against them Free speech scholar Eric Heinze identifies the main arguments for laws restricting hate speech and says none are valid for mature Western democracies. Germans are not especially concerned about privacy and sovereignty Nazi past? Stasi past? Sebastian Huempfer challenges the conventional explanations for Germany’s strong reaction to Edward Snowden’s revelations about NSA snooping. Twitter, free speech, and sexism – an #outcry from Germany Sarah Glatte explores the potential and pitfalls of social media in combating sexism. Freedom for history? The case against memory laws Josie Appleton talks to Pierre Nora and Olivier Salvatori of the Liberté pour l’Histoire initiative in France. Can the treatment of animals be compared to Nazi concentration camps? Not in Germany, said the German courts. And the European Court of Human Rights agreed. The future of free speech Human Rights activist Aryeh Neier speaks about the future of free speech. Does a murderer have the right to be forgotten? In 2008 two convicted murderers asked for their names to be removed from Wikipedia and other online media outlets, in accordance with German law. Does the individual’s right to be forgotten take priority over the public’s right to know? Can Google’s algorithm slander a politician’s wife? Type ‘Bettina Wulff’, the name of a former German president’s wife, into Google and the autocomplete function will add ‘escort’. Is this algorithmic addition a form of defamation? Sebastian Huempfer explores the case. Why the EU’s “harmonisation machine” should stay away from history Claus Leggewie and Horst Meier explain why memory laws are the wrong way for Europeans to remember and debate their difficult pasts. Hitler’s Mein Kampf as satire The German comedian Serdar Somuncu recites extracts from Mein Kampf to highlight the absurdity of Hitler’s propaganda, writes Sebastian Huempfer. A day in the life of a climate scientist A senior advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it is only a matter of time before a climate scientist is killed, writes Maryam Omidi. Why hate speech should not be banned Restrictions on hate speech are not a means of tackling bigotry but of rebranding often obnoxious ideas or arguments are immoral, argues writer Kenan Malik. ACTA: Open agreement secretly arrived at? The secretive approach adopted by parties in negotiating the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement constrained the ability of the public to challenge limits on free expression, writes Graham Reynolds. German legislation could hinder free flow of information Germany’s draft ancillary copyright bill would force news aggregators such as Google News to pay German publishing houses when linking to news items produced by their newspapers, writes Maximilian Ruhenstroth-Bauer. The Berlin Twitter Wall v the Great Firewall of China In 2009, the Chinese authorities blocked access to the Berlin Twitter Wall from within China following a flood of tweets calling for an end to internet censorship, writes Judith Bruhn. Is criminalisation an effective way of eradicating fascism? The co-chair of the German Green Party tells Free Speech Debate that fascist ideologies cannot be banned and must be confronted in a democratic way. Google Street View in Germany In March 2011, a Berlin court ruled that Google Street View was not illegal after a private citizen filed a lawsuit, claiming the technology was an infringement of her property and privacy rights. Sebastian Huempfer looks at the case. Timothy Garton Ash at the Brandenburg Gate: Should we all become a bit more German, or not, when it comes to privacy? Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate on the 22nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Timothy Garton Ash, director of Free Speech Debate, discusses the new barriers to information and communication. Should Germany have introduced a right to be forgotten? Sebastian Nerz, the chairman of the German Pirate Party talks about ACTA, the right to be forgotten and privacy in Germany. The right of reply in Germany Germany has a statutory right of reply in the media. Maximilian Ruhenstroth-Bauer explains a path to defending your reputation without going to court.
Bishop Dieser of Aachen: Europe must defend its secular culture Bishop Dieser of Aachen examines our sixth principle, “Respect the believer but not necessarily the content of the belief”.
The UK can show the way on platform regulation. But not by treating Facebook and Google as publishers Mark Bunting argues that the tech giants should accept ‘procedural accountability’.
The left’s version of hate speech: guilt by association Leftists who argue for hate speech bans ignore the far left’s own version, argues Eric Heinze.
The erosion of European journalism Caroline Lees describes the work of the European Journalism Observatory, and what it is has observed.
The ‘lying press’ and the crisis of confidence in German media Maja Sojref and Sarah Glatte explore the growing public disillusionment with the mainstream press in Germany.
Can a book be too dangerous for the public? Sebastian Huempfer examines the tortured controversy around republication of a copyright-free Mein Kampf in Germany.
Should Europe introduce a right to blasphemy? Alain Bouldoires talks to Timothy Garton Ash about the survival of blasphemy laws in Europe, and calls for a ‘right to blaspheme’.
Nineteen arguments for hate speech bans – and against them Free speech scholar Eric Heinze identifies the main arguments for laws restricting hate speech and says none are valid for mature Western democracies.
Germans are not especially concerned about privacy and sovereignty Nazi past? Stasi past? Sebastian Huempfer challenges the conventional explanations for Germany’s strong reaction to Edward Snowden’s revelations about NSA snooping.
Twitter, free speech, and sexism – an #outcry from Germany Sarah Glatte explores the potential and pitfalls of social media in combating sexism.
Freedom for history? The case against memory laws Josie Appleton talks to Pierre Nora and Olivier Salvatori of the Liberté pour l’Histoire initiative in France.
Can the treatment of animals be compared to Nazi concentration camps? Not in Germany, said the German courts. And the European Court of Human Rights agreed.
Does a murderer have the right to be forgotten? In 2008 two convicted murderers asked for their names to be removed from Wikipedia and other online media outlets, in accordance with German law. Does the individual’s right to be forgotten take priority over the public’s right to know?
Can Google’s algorithm slander a politician’s wife? Type ‘Bettina Wulff’, the name of a former German president’s wife, into Google and the autocomplete function will add ‘escort’. Is this algorithmic addition a form of defamation? Sebastian Huempfer explores the case.
Why the EU’s “harmonisation machine” should stay away from history Claus Leggewie and Horst Meier explain why memory laws are the wrong way for Europeans to remember and debate their difficult pasts.
Hitler’s Mein Kampf as satire The German comedian Serdar Somuncu recites extracts from Mein Kampf to highlight the absurdity of Hitler’s propaganda, writes Sebastian Huempfer.
A day in the life of a climate scientist A senior advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it is only a matter of time before a climate scientist is killed, writes Maryam Omidi.
Why hate speech should not be banned Restrictions on hate speech are not a means of tackling bigotry but of rebranding often obnoxious ideas or arguments are immoral, argues writer Kenan Malik.
ACTA: Open agreement secretly arrived at? The secretive approach adopted by parties in negotiating the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement constrained the ability of the public to challenge limits on free expression, writes Graham Reynolds.
German legislation could hinder free flow of information Germany’s draft ancillary copyright bill would force news aggregators such as Google News to pay German publishing houses when linking to news items produced by their newspapers, writes Maximilian Ruhenstroth-Bauer.
The Berlin Twitter Wall v the Great Firewall of China In 2009, the Chinese authorities blocked access to the Berlin Twitter Wall from within China following a flood of tweets calling for an end to internet censorship, writes Judith Bruhn.
Is criminalisation an effective way of eradicating fascism? The co-chair of the German Green Party tells Free Speech Debate that fascist ideologies cannot be banned and must be confronted in a democratic way.
Google Street View in Germany In March 2011, a Berlin court ruled that Google Street View was not illegal after a private citizen filed a lawsuit, claiming the technology was an infringement of her property and privacy rights. Sebastian Huempfer looks at the case.
Timothy Garton Ash at the Brandenburg Gate: Should we all become a bit more German, or not, when it comes to privacy? Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate on the 22nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Timothy Garton Ash, director of Free Speech Debate, discusses the new barriers to information and communication.
Should Germany have introduced a right to be forgotten? Sebastian Nerz, the chairman of the German Pirate Party talks about ACTA, the right to be forgotten and privacy in Germany.
The right of reply in Germany Germany has a statutory right of reply in the media. Maximilian Ruhenstroth-Bauer explains a path to defending your reputation without going to court.