you shouldn't run a social network if you can't put a stop to hatred and threats

The other week I read this fabulous article or rather an article about a fabulous lawyer in Würzburg, Germany who started a crusade against Facebook demanding they comply with German laws regarding Volksverhetzung (racial agitation) and alike.

The article is in Swedish of course but do google there might be English versions out there too, there most certainly are German ones.

In short the lawyer and his law firm, just as so many of us, got sick and tired of the fact that Facebook just don't care about all the hatred and threats they are a forum for and decided to take them to court. And they won. It's quite obvious that if you run a social network business as Facebook you should not be able to shy away from putting a stop to hatred and threats that take place in your network. And it's absolutely crazy that they have been for so long.

Not to mention all advertisers that in fact finance all this hatred.

Hopefully this law suit and the aftermath will lead to radical changes for the better. Something really really has to change on social media. And I love this quote from the German lawyer Chan-jo Jun: "You shouldn't run a social network if you can't put a stop to hatred and threats." Simple as that really.

Of course I wish more people could live by the motto "if you can't say/write something positive or constructive just don't say anything", but since clearly a vast amount of people all over the world can't the companies need to take their responsability seriously.

I think this story is a great example of moral courage and law at its finest.