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Twitter Removes Anti-Semitic Postings, French Jewish Group Says Twitter Removes Anti-Semitic Postings, French Jewish Group Says
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — Hours after Twitter blocked access to the account of an outlawed neo-Nazi group to users in Germany, the social networking site agreed to remove anti-Semitic posts that were proliferating in France under the hashtag #unbonjuif, or “a good Jew,” a French Jewish group announced on Friday. PARIS — Hours after Twitter blocked access to the account of an outlawed neo-Nazi group by users in Germany, the social networking site agreed to remove anti-Semitic posts that were proliferating in France under the hashtag #unbonjuif, or “a good Jew,” a French Jewish group announced on Friday.
The agreement was announced by lawyers for the Union of Jewish Students of France, who had a conference call with Twitter representatives in California on Thursday evening. The posts had produced increasing criticism and outrage over the last week from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France and from SOS Racisme, a lobbying group that denounced a “wave of feverish hatred.” Some of the posts had been removed as of Friday evening.The agreement was announced by lawyers for the Union of Jewish Students of France, who had a conference call with Twitter representatives in California on Thursday evening. The posts had produced increasing criticism and outrage over the last week from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France and from SOS Racisme, a lobbying group that denounced a “wave of feverish hatred.” Some of the posts had been removed as of Friday evening.
The anti-Semitic posts sometimes included photos from the Holocaust and a variety of jokes. There were also anti-Muslim posts. The student union had threatened to get an injunction under French law, which prohibits discrimination based on religion, ethnicity or race, one of its lawyers, Stéphane Lilti, told French news agencies.The anti-Semitic posts sometimes included photos from the Holocaust and a variety of jokes. There were also anti-Muslim posts. The student union had threatened to get an injunction under French law, which prohibits discrimination based on religion, ethnicity or race, one of its lawyers, Stéphane Lilti, told French news agencies.
Several Twitter users posting under the hashtag criticized the decision to delete the anti-Semitic posts, calling it censorship. A user calling himself Andre said: “Better to educate than censure. Shame on you Twitter.” Another, Craig McLeod, asked, “Who decides what is anti-Semitic and abusive?”Several Twitter users posting under the hashtag criticized the decision to delete the anti-Semitic posts, calling it censorship. A user calling himself Andre said: “Better to educate than censure. Shame on you Twitter.” Another, Craig McLeod, asked, “Who decides what is anti-Semitic and abusive?”
Asked for comment, Twitter repeated its standard policy statement: “Twitter does not mediate content. If we are alerted to content that may be in violation of our terms of service, we will investigate each report and respond according to the policies and procedures outlined in our support pages.”Asked for comment, Twitter repeated its standard policy statement: “Twitter does not mediate content. If we are alerted to content that may be in violation of our terms of service, we will investigate each report and respond according to the policies and procedures outlined in our support pages.”
No one at Twitter would talk on the record about the French posts, but it has its own criteria for regulating content and will sometimes suspend an individual account or withhold individual posts.No one at Twitter would talk on the record about the French posts, but it has its own criteria for regulating content and will sometimes suspend an individual account or withhold individual posts.
In Germany on Thursday, Twitter applied for the first time a policy known as “country-withheld content,” which allows it to block an account at the request of state authorities. The neo-Nazi group had been banned by the government of Lower Saxony.In Germany on Thursday, Twitter applied for the first time a policy known as “country-withheld content,” which allows it to block an account at the request of state authorities. The neo-Nazi group had been banned by the government of Lower Saxony.
In the French case, the student union said it was providing Twitter with a longer list of what it considered particularly offensive posts using the same hashtag. Jewish groups in France have cited an increasing number of anti-Semitic episodes since a French Muslim, Mohammed Merah, who claimed to be allied with Al Qaeda, murdered seven people, including four Jews, in Toulouse in March. In the French case, the student union said it was providing Twitter with a longer list of what it considered particularly offensive posts using the same hashtag. Jewish groups in France have cited an increasing number of anti-Semitic episodes since a French Muslim, Mohammed Merah, who claimed to be allied with Al Qaeda, murdered seven people, including four Jews, in Toulouse in March before being killed in a shootout with the police.
“We salute the decision of Twitter to respond to our request and promptly remove racist and anti-Semitic tweets,” said the president of the student union, Jonathan Hayoun. He said the union still intended to file a complaint against the company, which has refused to identify the people behind the posts.“We salute the decision of Twitter to respond to our request and promptly remove racist and anti-Semitic tweets,” said the president of the student union, Jonathan Hayoun. He said the union still intended to file a complaint against the company, which has refused to identify the people behind the posts.
Two other cases involving Twitter created news this week. On Friday in Britain, police were investigating remarks that appeared on the Twitter account of a right-wing political leader about a case of discrimination against a gay couple who was refused accommodation by the owners of a lodging house. Two other cases involving Twitter created news this week. On Friday in Britain, the police were investigating remarks that appeared on the Twitter account of a right-wing political leader about a case of discrimination against a gay couple who were refused accommodation by the owners of a lodging house.
British news reports said the account — @nickgriffinmep — had been suspended after it was used to publish the couple’s address and call for a demonstration there. It later appeared to have been reactivated without the couple’s address.British news reports said the account — @nickgriffinmep — had been suspended after it was used to publish the couple’s address and call for a demonstration there. It later appeared to have been reactivated without the couple’s address.
The account belongs to Nick Griffin, the British National Party chairman and a member of the European Parliament. The party is a small, xenophobic group that has made electoral gains in recent years, culminating in Mr. Griffin’s election to the European Parliament in 2009. The party campaigned on a platform opposed to what Mr. Griffin calls the “creeping Islamification” of Britain, supporting the voluntary repatriation of immigrants, and calling for Britain to quit the European Union and NATO.The account belongs to Nick Griffin, the British National Party chairman and a member of the European Parliament. The party is a small, xenophobic group that has made electoral gains in recent years, culminating in Mr. Griffin’s election to the European Parliament in 2009. The party campaigned on a platform opposed to what Mr. Griffin calls the “creeping Islamification” of Britain, supporting the voluntary repatriation of immigrants, and calling for Britain to quit the European Union and NATO.
Mr. Griffin reacted angrily to the lodging house case, telling the BBC that discrimination was “a fundamental human right” and that the owners of the lodging house had the right to decide who could enter their home.Mr. Griffin reacted angrily to the lodging house case, telling the BBC that discrimination was “a fundamental human right” and that the owners of the lodging house had the right to decide who could enter their home.
And at a hearing in Istanbul on Thursday, a Turkish pianist and composer, Fazil Say, 42, denied charges of insulting religion after he cited a thousand-year-old poem on his Twitter account. The case was adjourned for four months.And at a hearing in Istanbul on Thursday, a Turkish pianist and composer, Fazil Say, 42, denied charges of insulting religion after he cited a thousand-year-old poem on his Twitter account. The case was adjourned for four months.
In April, Mr. Say reposted a verse in which Omar Khayyam, an 11th-century Persian poet, mocked pious hypocrisy. His case is an indication, critics say, of an increasing distortion of justice by a more conservative interpretation of Islam promoted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In April, Mr. Say reposted a verse in which Omar Khayyám, an 11th-century Persian poet, mocked pious hypocrisy. His case is an indication, critics say, of an increasing distortion of justice by a more conservative interpretation of Islam promoted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Twitter has said that its goal is to balance freedom of expression with compliance with local laws.Twitter has said that its goal is to balance freedom of expression with compliance with local laws.