Even if it sometimes seems so, the Internet is not a legal vacuum. To keep it that way, prosecutors are also dependent on people who don’t turn a blind eye to threats and hate speech.
Social media have fundamentally changed the way we communicate in recent years. Extreme statements are sometimes made under the cloak of distance and sometimes even anonymity. It should be clear to everyone: hatred and hate speech on the Internet are anything but a trivial offence. Racist insults, hate speech or defamation are also punishable on the Internet. Anyone who discovers such attacks or is exposed to them themselves should report such postings or comments immediately.
perceive hate postings as such
Not every comment is immediately recognizable as a hate posting. Also, not every offensive comment is equally prosecutable. In Germany, for example, according to the Criminal Code, a number of symbols are also prohibited on the Internet, as is a public call for criminal offenses or hate speech, i.e. when violence is specifically called for against individual groups.
Furthermore, trivialized or excessive depictions of violence are not permitted. The same applies to insults, slander, defamation, threats and coercion as well as a whole range of other acts that are also punishable in the analogue environment.
But how do you recognize such hate postings? It’s actually not that easy, since the posts aren’t always emotional, and sometimes come disguised as a joke. However, such posts often contain a disparagement of a particular group or individual. If you have a bad feeling about a post, then you should take a close look. How are certain keywords used and in what context? Does it demean or objectify something or someone? Postings that call for concrete action and/or legitimize existing violence are to be viewed particularly critically.
react directly
Anyone who sees a hate comment should respond as soon as possible. On the one hand, you can enter into a discussion with the person. Many are passive when it comes to hate postings; it can make a significant difference to point out that the message of a contribution is not correct and should be questioned.
Those who do not want to go into the dispute themselves can also help by documenting and reporting hate speech accordingly. Incidentally, many official bodies such as the BKA also advise this. There are specialized bodies for reporting hate postings. This is the case, for example, with the youth foundation of Baden-Württemberg, which operates nationwide Reporting office Respect possible, on which also that Federal Criminal Police Office indicates.
First delete, then file a complaint against hate postings
Internet users can describe the case directly on the home page. The address of the relevant website and your own e-mail address must also be provided. Screenshots documenting the hate speech can also be uploaded. The Respect team checks the report and, in the event of a violation of the law, applies to the respective operator of the site or network for the post to be deleted. According to the information, the author will also be reported, especially in the case of hate speech.
You can also report hate postings to the appropriate network by posting the post. There are usually direct mechanisms for this, such as a report button or a contact point. The operators are also increasingly working with the relevant authorities, such as WhatsApp.
Line to the prosecutor’s office
The Lower Saxony one has also taken up the nationwide fight against hate crime on the Internet central office to combat hate crime online. Postings or comments containing hate and hate speech can also be reported very easily using an online form on this page, which is run by the Göttingen public prosecutor’s office.
Important: Victims who also provide their contact details here enable the prosecutors to file a criminal complaint with them if necessary. Otherwise, the prosecuting authorities cannot take action in the case of so-called application offenses – which include insult, slander or defamation.