3 ms·

I am not the GP, but if you cuss someone online, like saying bad words (not racist) just the f-word, you could end up in jail. I am not supporting that kind of

by boruto 4y ago

I am not the GP, but if you cuss someone online, like saying bad words (not racist) just the f-word, you could end up in jail. I am not supporting that kind of law or anything as I have no skin in the game :).

dahart 4y ago
Like the US, Germany has free speech protections, and ranks well globally in terms of journalistic protection (https://rsf.org/en/index https://rsf.org/en/index better than the US), but yes it looks like there is a long list of exceptions there too. The restrictions do perhaps look a little more restrictive than the US, but of course it’s always hard to say. Most free speech restrictions have hard fought and won case law behind them. You’re right; in Germany, insult is illegal. I’m reading about it, and articles say that the majority of minor insults are not reported, and that generally insult claims are dismissed (for example https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-insult-law-snap-story.html https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-insult-la...) Nazism and Holocaust denial are also illegal, and for pretty good reasons. Since the OP’s comment didn’t mention insulting people, but simply having opinions and discussing them, perhaps this is what they’re referring to? That might be the only subject that is taboo without qualification, the rest of them (such as blasphemy) appear to hinge on whether it could affect the safety of people? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Federal_Republic_of_Germany#Main_laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Federal_Repu... The US has similar restrictions, most of them for similar reasons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exce...
- boruto 4y ago
  I wouldn't compare with US. All the late night show hosts would be in jail. Watching Bill Maher first time was a eye opener for me on free speech. I couldn't imagine anyone doing it in my own country. Probably OP is referring to Nazi stuff. But people do get fined for showing birdie at protests. Even though most are dismissed the process of going through the system is the punishment if you have no legal insurance. All in all, I agree Germany is not a restrictive society and has honours tenets of free speech. But i won't compare it to USA. Which is light years ahead.

by boruto 4y ago

dahart 4y ago

Like the US, Germany has free speech protections, and ranks well globally in terms of journalistic protection (https://rsf.org/en/index https://rsf.org/en/index better than the US), but yes it looks like there is a long list of exceptions there too. The restrictions do perhaps look a little more restrictive than the US, but of course it’s always hard to say. Most free speech restrictions have hard fought and won case law behind them. You’re right; in Germany, insult is illegal. I’m reading about it, and articles say that the majority of minor insults are not reported, and that generally insult claims are dismissed (for example https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-insult-law-snap-story.html https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-insult-la...) Nazism and Holocaust denial are also illegal, and for pretty good reasons. Since the OP’s comment didn’t mention insulting people, but simply having opinions and discussing them, perhaps this is what they’re referring to? That might be the only subject that is taboo without qualification, the rest of them (such as blasphemy) appear to hinge on whether it could affect the safety of people? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Federal_Republic_of_Germany#Main_laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_Federal_Repu... The US has similar restrictions, most of them for similar reasons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exce...

boruto 4y ago
I wouldn't compare with US. All the late night show hosts would be in jail. Watching Bill Maher first time was a eye opener for me on free speech. I couldn't imagine anyone doing it in my own country. Probably OP is referring to Nazi stuff. But people do get fined for showing birdie at protests. Even though most are dismissed the process of going through the system is the punishment if you have no legal insurance. All in all, I agree Germany is not a restrictive society and has honours tenets of free speech. But i won't compare it to USA. Which is light years ahead.