| What a nonsensical article. Such power of courts already exists, but it mostly boils down to US law as most of the platforms are in the US. Think about the debates on photos of breastfeeding, a fully natural act that happens to show a part of the body that all humans possess. But as the US has a double standard where female nipples are sinful and obscene - and male nipples totally fine - a mom in Germany or France or Austria will not be able to upload such photos (similar to e.g. some regions in Africa where going topless is not unusual for women). Similarly if you dare use content of a US media organisation you'll get a global DMCA takedown. Even if you do e.g. a critique or it's playing as background in a video recorded in a public space, all of which are protected under most countries' legislation. Hell videos of families singing Happy Birthday are DMCAd as one of many american troll companies claims to own the copyright to the lyrics. On the other hand, gruesome and deeply intrusive/personal videos of e.g. murder or violence are tolerated on Facebook and similar sites as those are in the US context not undedstood to be harmful. In germany public holocaust denial can be punished with five years in prison (although it very rarely goes so far), but Facebook serves as wonderful breeding ground of conspiracy theories about Jewish world conspiracies and the holocaust being a lie. Cause "free speech" is final, even blatant falsehoods. I don't think a regional Austrian court should be the judge for the internet, but the only reason it is trying to take this role is because these sites' host country applies absurd laws (what's more harmful for a 15 year old to see, a beheading or some lady's nipples?) and the sites refuse to apply common sense. This lady was harassed quite intensely and Facebook refused to take action - that's the case here. So what's the solution? Some global court system? Agreed minimum standards? Companies localising content more? I have no idea, but its pretty clear that the US giants have a harmful effect not just on US but global public discourse as they refuse to address misinformation, lies, harassment, holocaust denial, etc etc |
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