Google, Meta, TikTok thwart Austria's hate speech plan
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The top European court ruled that Austria cannot force Google, Meta, and TikTok to pay fines for failing to delete hate speech from their platforms.
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Austria had passed a law requiring tech giants to publish reports detailing content takedowns and imposing fines for non-compliance.
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Google, Meta, and TikTok challenged the law, arguing that it conflicted with an EU law that only subjects platforms to laws in the member states where they are established.
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The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) agreed with the tech companies, stating that Austria's law was too general and abstract.
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The ruling is a victory for platforms and sets a precedent that could protect them from other legal attacks as EU regulators crack down on Big Tech.
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Hate crimes and hate speech have been on the rise in Austria, leading to efforts to crack down on hate speech online.
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. Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have been actively removing hate speech content from their platforms.
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The EU has launched a public campaign to raise awareness of hate speech and hate crimes and is convening to discuss a national response to hate crime.
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