We reported last night on the outrage expressed by Poles — including politicians and government officials — at Facebook’s censorship of Polish patriotic groups and Polish conservatives. Earlier we posted a video of demonstrators in Poland burning Facebook icons that had been made into flags.
Across the border in Germany there is almost no pushback against Facebook or other expression of PC and Multiculturalism, except by the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland, Alternative for Germany). In the video below Beatrix Von Storch, one of the leaders of AfD, is seeing links to her site being blocked by Facebook.
Many thanks to Ava Lon for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:
The following article from two years ago describes the same phenomenon, so the situation vis-à-vis the AfD is not new, and was not prompted by Chancellor Merkel’s more recent request of Mark Zuckerberg to have Facebook crack down on “hate speech”.
From the German business daily Handelsblatt, also translated by Ava Lon:
Beatrix Von Storch: Facebook blocked profile for AfD deputy
“Open Censorship of Disliked People”
There are fan sites for companies, products, bands, artists, clubs, parties or politicians. Beatrix von Storch has such a thing. If someone is a fan of a page, and presses the “like” button, he gets the messages from that page displayed in his messages. Storch currently has — as of 11.11.2014, 2 pm — 3,939 fans. The number of possible fans is infinite and is not limited by anything.
Messages cannot be sent with a fanpage. An advantage from a marketing point of view, however, is that fanpages, like “normal” websites, are public — and thus also relevant to search engines. Private profiles can only be viewed by people who are registered on Facebook.
The message from the profile-blocking now produces lively discussions on the Von Storch fanpage. “I feel like it’s Democracy à la CDU”, writes a Joachim Klockhaus. A Dennis Lehmann says: “Open censorship of disliked people.”
And a “Valentina Icannottellyou” tries to uplift the “dear Beatrix von Storch” and give her courage: “You are a citizen and a human like everyone else … everybody has the right to open an FB account … you too have family, friends and acquaintances with whom you would like to stay in touch. In this case you use FB.”
And here’s a reminder from earlier this year that the German government doesn’t think Facebook is doing enough to crack down on “hate” (thank you, Ava Lon):
Hate commentaries in social media
Justice Minister Maas: Facebook is not fast enough against hate on the net
Sunday, April 10, 2016, 22:52
Hate and hate speech are still a problem on social networks. Federal Justice Minister [Heiko] Maas has now accused Facebook of being too slow in the fight. Because Facebook had announced it would delete such things within 24 hours.
For Federal Justice Minister Heiko Maas (SPD), Facebook continues to be slow against hate and hate speech comments on the social network. “It has to get even better,” said Maas on the evening of the ZDF broadcast “Berlin direkt”. Facebook is obligated to take criminal content off the web. “If they do not, then it will eventually bring them into conflict with the law.”
Comments should be deleted within 24 hours
Facebook is still struggling to deal more decisively against extremist postings. “It has actually improved. But we’ve never said we’d get the problem done in one fell swoop.” They agreed with the company to delete such comments within 24 hours. In practice, however, this is still happening too seldom.
At the end of February, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg instructed his company to deal with hate commentaries. At the time, he announced that with significantly more employees, he would be able to deal with hateful entries and comments.
Video transcript:
| 00:00 | Obama, help me, the AfD [Alternative for Germany] is discovering everything. | |
| 00:04 | OK, you can forward it to the CIA. | |
| 00:12 | The link is blocked. | |
| 00:16 | We think that the link you wanted to open is malicious. | |
| 00:20 | For your own security we blocked it. | |
| 00:24 | Find out more about how to keep your account safe. | |
| 00:28 | Please, let us know if you think that this link shouldn’t be blocked. |
Seriously – does nobody in Germany think it’s bizarre what the government and Facebook are doing, and the government’s demands for censorship within 24 hours? (when court cases, to decide whether or not something is actually “hate speech”, can take much longer)
After Trump, my biggest hope now is that next year, Angela Merkel can become the new Hillary… although a friend of mine replied “Won’t happen – Germans are too brainwashed”… someone please tell me he’s wrong?
After what Merkel has done to vast swathes of Germany, surely one should be ready to vote even for Kermit the Frog, instead of her? (unless you’re a pepper spray distributor – in which case Angela’s actions mean that you stand to earn great riches)
I’m afraid Germany is just screwed. The average German will never see the connection between their political beliefs and what is happening.
This [epithet], [Z]uckerberg,
He will go same way as my space, hope its soon.
Arnt we all sick to death of this social media nightmare crap.
Facebook is run by nsa, and stasi,
Seriously, you might as well go to u local police station
And hand over u dna, photo, fingerprintz, and all u contacts, banking, business, interests, location, yes!
Face book is a dangerous forum, and orwell must laughing in his grave.
I advise all to delete facebook, dont use it, unsubscribe now.
I agree with you. I tell my friends that opening a Facebook account is like leaving your wallet, your passport, your checkbook, and directions to your house lying on a park bench.
Some people agree that this is so, but don’t care enough to stay off Facebook.
1984 is so . . . yesterday.
Orwell will be astonished – and horrified – to see how his dystopian nightmare has been exceeded.
Always resist! It does not have to be dramatic; it only has to be little everyday rebellions. Like The Baron, I refuse to use the so-called social media. I do not even have a cell phone, and I don’t feel the need for one.
One of my favourite tactics with SJWs and the like, is not to confront them . . . but to sidle up to their points of view, and then to start filling their heads with questions and doubt. Let them come to different conclusions “all on their own”; then they own their “new” ideas.
VK is an good alternative for some, in English.
Unless all your friends are Russians though, what good is V K?
That’s the thing about social networks – it’s not just about you. It’s about all the people you know… if they’re still on FB but you’ve moved to VK, you might have a couple of friends on VK… what use is that? Hence it’s check-mate by Facebook 🙂
I’ve never had fakebook and never will as long as that deplorable beast boy has anything to do with it. I don’t google either. And I left firefox for Brave. It’s hard but I try my best not to give those punks any more money.
This Mark Zuckerberg has a weak face. Easily influenced, one might think.