BERLIN: German authorities say they have issued Facebook with a 2 million-euro ($2.3 million) fine under a law designed to combat hate speech.
The Federal Office for Justice said Tuesday that the social networking company had failed to meet transparency requirements for its handling of hate speech complaints.
The agency said Facebook’s report for the first half of 2018 didn’t reflect the actual number of complaints about suspected illegal content, which in Germany includes anti-Semitic insults and material designed to incite hatred against persons or groups based on their religion or ethnicity.
It said there was also incomplete information about the language skills and training of staff tasked with processing hate speech complaints.
Facebook didn’t immediately comment on the fine.
Germany fines Facebook $2.3 million under hate speech law
Germany fines Facebook $2.3 million under hate speech law
- The Federal Office for Justice said Facebook had failed to meet transparency requirements
- Facebook didn’t immediately comment on the fine
Egyptian host Ramez Galal under heat following a lawsuit for his Ramadan prank show
DUBAI: Egyptian actor and host Ramez Galal is under fire following a lawsuit by Egyptian actress Asmaa Galal after her appearance on his Ramadan prank show “Ramez Level the Monster.”
Ramez, known for his prank programs, returned to the screen this year for the latest edition of his show, but Asmaa took legal action against him once the episode was aired, claiming that his commentary constituted mockery and bullying.
She claims Ramez opened the episode segment by making disparaging remarks about her appearance, criticizing her choice of tight leggings, commenting on her body, and questioning whether her features were natural.
According to a statement from her lawyers’ office, the actress agreed to appear on the show on the understanding that it followed the usual prank format, without being informed of any added voice-overs or edited commentary in post-production.
However, the episode included phrases and remarks that the statement said amounted to personal insults and bodily mockery, with no relevance to the prank itself.
Her legal team emphasized that while satire and entertainment are protected forms of expression, they do not justify defamation or personal humiliation, particularly when targeting someone’s dignity or physical appearance.
The statement also noted that she initially chose to remain silent out of respect for Ramadan, but ultimately decided to respond, stressing that personal dignity remains a red line regardless of the entertainment context.
The episode has caused a significant backlash, with the National Council for Women in Egypt rejecting the treatment of women in such shows, affirming that personal dignity is a “red line.”
Ramez’s show has attracted controversy for years with accusations of torture, alleged harassment and physical contact.
