Thursday, December 9th, 2021
Action against hatred and agitation
The federal and state governments want to regulate Telegram more closely
After threats against politicians in the corona pandemic, the federal and state governments want to take stronger action against conspiracy theories as well as hatred and agitation. To this end, the Telegram service is to be regulated more strongly than before, as a paper shows.
The federal and state governments want to act more sharply against conspiracy theories in the corona pandemic as well as hatred and agitation in the so-called lateral thinker scene. To this end, communication services such as Telegram are also to be regulated more closely. In a draft resolution available to ntv, the federal states point out that platforms “which in fact develop into an open social network with mass communication by offering public groups and channels (…)” have an “appropriate and sufficiently differentiated regulation in the Network Enforcement Act “need.
The formulation should primarily mean Telegram. The messenger service has so far been little regulated because it was primarily used for communication between a few people. For a long time, however, people have been communicating there in publicly accessible, but not moderated groups. The platform is very popular with representatives of the so-called lateral thinkers movement, opponents of the corona measures, but also right-wing extremists because of the low level of regulation.
The Network Enforcement Act, which prescribes the deletion of illegal content within 24 hours, has so far mainly been applied to social networks such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, but not to messenger services such as Telegram. In the meantime, however, is taking place in the judicial authorities a rethink instead of. However, the Telegram makers have not yet cooperated with state authorities.
In the draft resolution, the heads of government also declare their “solidarity and their unreserved support towards those affected” of hatred and agitation. Measures to combat corona “can and must be discussed and argued in democratic societies,” it says. Death threats and torch lifts in front of private houses are unacceptable. “Such radical acts are an attack on our society and our free and democratic basic order.”
Prevention programs and media literacy
Most recently, a torchlight march in front of the house of Saxony’s Minister of Social Affairs, Petra Köpping, caused horror. In addition, the ZDF magazine “Frontal” reported on violent fantasies and specific murder plans against Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer in a group of the messenger service Telegram. A mob also recently tried to pull a mob towards the apartment of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig.
The federal states see “with great concern that more and more conspiracy theories, lies, agitation, hostility and calls to violence are being spread via communication services,” as the resolution suggests. Corresponding content therefore “contributes to a considerable extent to dividing society and endangering the free democratic basic order”. In addition, increasing tendencies towards radicalization can be observed “especially in the ‘lateral thinking movement'”.
In order to counteract this development, the federal and state governments want to develop and strengthen prevention programs. It should be about general media skills, courageous behavior on the Internet and argumentation aids against conspiracy narratives.