{"id":301865,"date":"2017-03-15T06:12:28","date_gmt":"2017-03-15T06:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=301865"},"modified":"2017-03-15T06:12:28","modified_gmt":"2017-03-15T06:12:28","slug":"facebook-twitter-and-google-grilled-by-uk-mps-over-hate-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/03\/facebook-twitter-and-google-grilled-by-uk-mps-over-hate-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook, Twitter and Google grilled by UK MPs over hate speech"},"content":{"rendered":"
Social media giants should “do a better job” to protect users from online hate speech, British MPs have said.<\/p>\n
Executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google were asked by the Home Affairs select committee why they did not police their content more effectively, given the billions they made.<\/p>\n
They were told they had a “terrible reputation” for dealing with problems.<\/p>\n
The firms said they worked hard to make sure freedom of expression was protected within the law.<\/p>\n
‘Money out of hate’<\/strong><\/p>\n Labour MP Chuka Umunna focused his questioning on Google-owned YouTube, which he accused of making money from “videos peddling hate” on its platform.<\/p>\n A recent investigation by the Times found adverts were appearing alongside content from supporters of extremist groups, making them around \u00a36 per 1,000 viewers, as well as making money for the company.<\/p>\n Mr Umunna said: “Your operating profit in 2016 was $30.4bn.<\/p>\n “Now, there are not many business activities that somebody openly would have to come and admit\u2026 that they are making money and people who use their platform are making money out of hate.<\/p>\n “You, as an outfit, are not working nearly hard enough to deal with this.”<\/p>\n Peter Barron, vice president of communications and public affairs at Google Europe, told the committee the cash made from the videos in question was “very small amounts”, but added that the firm was “working very hard in this area” to stop it happening again.<\/p>\n Fellow committee member David Winnick said, when he heard Mr Barron’s answer, “the thought that came into my mind was the thought of commercial prostitution that you are engaged in,” adding: “I think that is a good and apt description.”<\/p>\n Yvette Cooper, who is chairwoman of the committee, turned her attention to Twitter.<\/p>\n