France: Court rules that Twitter must hand over details of homophobic and anti-semitic users
Twitter has been ordered by a French court to hand over details of users who posted anti-semitic tweets, in what could be a significant move against homophobia, racism and anti-semitism in the country.
The Paris High Court ruled that Twitter must give details of users who posted offensive messages on the microblogging site, at the request of several anti-hate groups.
In recent months, offensive hashtags have begun to trend including #SiMonFilsEstGay (if my son was gay), – users who used them speculated on the what pain, torture or other degrading treatment they would inflict on a gay child or other relative.
Others included #UnBonJuif (a good Jew), #UnJuifMort (a dead Jew), #SiMaFilleRameneUnNoir (if my daughter brings home a black man) and #SiJetaisNazi (if I were a Nazi) where users listed various fascist or racist acts they would perform.
Twitter could face fines of up to $1,300 (£825) for each day they fail to hand over details of the users’, if requested by the groups who sought the ruling, who have said they will not hesitate to do so.
As well as the fines, the court ordered twitter to set up a system in France to make it easier for users to flag illegal content. Under French law, people found guilty of inciting racial hatred can be jailed for a year, and fined.
“This is an excellent decision, which we hope will bring an end to the feeling of impunity that fuels the worst excesses,” said Stephane Lilti, lawyer for the groups who sought the ruling, reports Reuters.
The BBC reports that a spokesperson for Twitter said: “We are currently reviewing the court’s decision.”
The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism said: “This marks a decisive step forward in the battle against racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic offences on the Internet,
“Nobody can ignore French law, not even the giants of the American digital economy.”
“It is a major precedent and breakthrough in the attempt to balance privacy online with the need to combat hate speech,” Sacha Reingewirtz, vice president of the students’ union, told JTA.
