German police searched the homes of three dozen people on Tuesday, all of whom are accused of writing hateful messages on social media.
The raids illustrate significant differences between how Germany treats hate speech online when compared with the United States.
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The 36 targeted people are accused of threatening others, racism, and other forms of harassment, and most of them are classified as “right wing,” according to The New York Times.
In the U.S., speech meant to threaten is illegal, but hate speech is not. In Germany, both can result in a visit from policeGerman law prohibits speech that “incites hatred” against a number of groups, including groups defined by race, national origin, and religion. Read more…
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