Francois Hollande urges web firms to fight hate speech online

French President Francois Hollande urged internet companies like Google and Facebook on Monday to fight hate speech online.

He made the comments during an address to the Jewish group Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives (CRIF).

In a speech focused on discrimination, he said a new law against jihadism would be unveiled in March. He also pressed major web firms Google and Facebook to agree on how to fight the spread of hate speech online at a conference in April.

"There is no such thing as virtual hatred when it is spreading," he said, referring to racism, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. "Major internet firms must face up to their responsibilities."

Hollande added that criminal courts should handle cases of hate speech rather than those specialising in press freedoms.

The CRIF dinner was not attended by representatives of the Muslim group Conseil Français du Culte Musulman, following comments made by the head of CRIF.

Violent crime

In an interview with Europe radio 1, Roger Cukierman said that young Muslims were the cause of all violent crime.

He said: “We need to say things clearly: all violence today is committed by young Muslims.

“Of course, it’s a tiny minority of the Muslim community and Muslims are the first victims.”

Mr Cukierman had been asked whether the far-right National Front party bore any responsibility for anti-Semitic acts. Five minors were arrested last week for having damaged hundreds of tombs earlier this month in a Jewish cemetery in eastern France.

Mr Hollande called upon public representatives to measure their words carefully but did not address the spat directly in his speech at the CRIF dinner.

In a statement, CFCM condemned Cukierman’s comments as “irresponsible and unacceptable” and said it would not attend its dinner.

"I don't think Mr Cukierman is someone who will contribute to us all living together peacefully," Abdallah Zekri, head of a CFCM department that tracks Islamophobic incidents, told BFMTV television.

Mr Cukierman, who did not address his earlier comments, said in his speech on Monday that Jews and Muslims were in the same boat and that he hoped the spat would be over quickly.

Reuters