Act repressing Facebook "incitement" allowed for final vote



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A bill that would allow the state to seek justice to force Facebook and other social media sites to remove certain content based on police recommendations has given a go-ahead to the Knesset Sunday.

The legislation, which applies to all publishers and content providers, including Google and Twitter, should be read twice to the Plenary Knesset later this week after being approved by the Legislative Committee, Constitution and Justice of Parliament.

Legislation was originally proposed by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked last July, two weeks after the two men met with Facebook officials in Jerusalem.


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The government says that the bill will only be invoked in case of suspected incitement, when there is a real possibility that the material in question threatens public or national security.

Gilad Erdan, Minister of Public Security (AP Photo / Ariel Schalit Erdan tweeted Sunday that he was proud of the legislation but warned that Israel must "strive to place the full responsibility on Internet companies to "clean up" their platforms, and not wait for the police to monitor and approach them "

Israel has long accused Facebook of facilitating Palestinian hatred towards Israelis, particularly as a result of A wave of hundreds of attacks that began in October 2015 and which, according to the security services, were fueled by online incitement to withdraw a few pages brought to its attention by Israel for having propagated a so-called Palestinian incitement.

However, the social media giant claims that it already provides "When governments think that something on the Internet violates their laws, they can contact companies s like Facebook and ask us to restrict access to this content. When we receive such a request, it is examined to determine if the specified content actually violates local laws. If we determine it, we make it unavailable in the country or territory concerned, "says the social network in its guidelines.

Erdan says that European countries like France and Germany have already set up Similar laws.

The chair of the committee, Jewish MP Slomiansky of the Jewish Home Party, said the bill struck a balance between public safety and freedom of expression, reported Calcalist

the law could be used in cases not involving incitement to terror.

MK Revital Swid (Union Zionist) arrives at a meeting of the Rabbinical Judges Nominating Committee in Jerusalem, May 2, 2016 (Shlomi Cohen / Flash90) [19659008] "It's going too far. I appeal to you, Department of Justice and Department of Public Safety, pay attention, "said Swid." Make sure that this does not interfere with the freedom of expression or the right to protest. " 19659003] Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler of the Israel Institute for Democracy told Calcalist that allowing the courts to hear cases unilaterally, without criminal proceedings or proper presentation of evidence, does not mean that the courts will hear cases. was not the way a democracy should work

Shwartz Altshuler said: [traduction]

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