Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter have promised to eliminate hate speech on their platforms.
The “tech giants” said they would comply with European Union recommendations that all content reported as “hate speech” should be removed within 24 hours.
It’s a tall order, considering that thousands of complaints are filed every day on those platforms concerning offensive content, but the companies are confident they can manage negative content without infringing upon the rights of users.
Karen White, Twitter’s head of public policy for Europe, told Time that “We remain committed to letting the Tweets flow. However, there is a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate.”
Despite the apparent commitment to freedom of speech, some civil groups and users are concerned that the moderation will infringe on free speech, especially because the content the companies agreed to ban is already legally banned.
Some progress has already occurred. According to Reuters, Twitter has suspended more than 125,000 accounts since 2015, mostly connected with terrorist-related content. Racial and threatening content is also being targeted.
The agreement is, at its core, an attempt to address racism on social media following the refugee crisis in Europe. It creates a new code of conduct and outlines the process for reviewing what is considered malicious content. The companies will also be responsible for informing users what content is appropriate and what will be removed.
