I used a command line tool that I can’t remember the name of and a quick search isn’t bringing up but I’ll edit this comment when I’m at my laptop.
Edit as promised: I used shreddit. I did come across that while searching earlier but the name didn’t ring a bell.
Be warned, if you search for shreddit there is a paid tool of the same name. That is not what I used.
The tool I used allowed me to give it a GDPR download to nuke everything.
I’ve heard good things about Power Delete Suite too.
I replied to one of your other comments before I spotted this but I think it was genuine and a mistake equating the two. I could be wrong but I generally assume good intent on Lemmy.
I’ve started reading through the legislation and it does cover hate crimes as well as hate speech. It’s 40 pages though so it’ll be tomorrow before I finish it but it looks lazy deliberately to let the courts decide what’s suitable and what’s not (not terribly uncommon for legislation here unfortunately but it does leave huge room for old, disconnected from society judges to interpret as they see fit).
The law seems well intentioned and I agree with that intent but there is definitely potential for abuse. One thing benevolent governments should assume when drafting legislation is that there will be a government in the future that will try to abuse legislation to hold on to power and word it to prevent that abuse happening.
Still reading through the full text but it is quite broad so that is a legitimate concern.
Edit: The “protection of freedom of expression” part is four lines of nothing.
It’s not clear to me yet if satire is protected. Like is a comic mocking an aspect of religion “hate”?
It’s 40 pages but I will read the whole thing.
Link for anyone interested:
https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2022/105/eng/ver_b/b105b22d.pdf
I’m from Ireland and had never heard of this so did some digging and used bard to summarise (it did a very solid job)
Can you tell me about the proposed hate speech legislation that’s proposed for Ireland
The proposed hate speech legislation in Ireland, known as the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022, aims to strengthen existing laws against hate speech and introduce new measures to tackle hate crimes. The bill has been through several stages of the legislative process and is currently awaiting final approval in the Irish Parliament.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The bill proposes several significant changes to the current legal framework on hate speech and hate crimes:
Expansion of Protected Characteristics: The bill expands the list of protected characteristics from five to seven, including gender and disability.
New Offense of Incitement to Violence or Hatred: The bill introduces a new criminal offense of incitement to violence or hatred. This offense would apply to any communication or behavior that is likely to incite violence or hatred against a person or group of persons on the basis of their protected characteristics.
Hate Crime Provisions: The bill introduces new aggravated forms of existing criminal offenses, such as assault, where those offenses are motivated by hatred against a person with a protected characteristic. This would mean that such offenses would be punished more severely.
Protection Against Hate-Motivated Harassment: The bill also includes measures to protect against hate-motivated harassment, such as stalking, intimidation, and discrimination in employment or housing.
Proposed Timeline for Implementation
The bill has already passed through the Dáil (Irish House of Representatives) and is currently at the stage of committee discussion in the Seanad (Irish Senate). If approved by the Seanad and signed into law by the President, the bill would likely come into effect in late 2024 or early 2025.
Debate and Controversy Surrounding the Bill
The proposed hate speech legislation has been met with both support and opposition. Supporters argue that the bill is necessary to protect vulnerable groups from hate speech and to deter hate crimes. They believe that the current legal framework is inadequate and that the new offenses will provide greater protection for victims of hate-motivated violence.
Opponents of the bill argue that it is an infringement on freedom of speech and that it could be used to stifle legitimate criticism of religious or political groups. They also express concern that the definition of hate speech is too vague and that the bill could be used to prosecute individuals for expressing unpopular or offensive opinions.
The debate surrounding the proposed hate speech legislation highlights the complex and sensitive nature of this issue. While there is a clear need to protect people from hate speech and hate crimes, it is also important to safeguard freedom of expression and ensure that the law is not used to stifle legitimate debate.
What ways could this legislation be abused by an authoritarian government?
Authoritarian governments could abuse the proposed hate speech legislation in a number of ways, including:
Silencing political dissent: The vague definition of hate speech could be used to prosecute individuals for expressing unpopular or critical views of the government or its policies. This could create a chilling effect on free speech and prevent people from speaking out against the government.
Suppressing minority groups: The bill could be used to target and silence minority groups, such as religious or ethnic minorities. This could create a climate of fear and intimidation and prevent these groups from exercising their rights.
Spreading propaganda: The government could use the bill to silence journalists and activists who are reporting on human rights abuses or corruption. This could allow the government to control the flow of information and maintain its grip on power.
Stifling public debate: The bill could be used to prevent people from discussing sensitive issues, such as the government’s role in human rights abuses or the role of religion in society. This could prevent the public from engaging in open and honest debate about important issues.
It is important to note that these are just a few of the ways that an authoritarian government could abuse the proposed hate speech legislation. The potential for abuse is significant, and it is important to carefully consider the implications of this legislation before it is enacted.
In conclusion, the proposed hate speech legislation in Ireland is a well-intentioned bill that aims to protect vulnerable groups from hate speech and hate crimes. However, there is a risk that this legislation could be abused by an authoritarian government to silence political dissent, suppress minority groups, spread propaganda, and stifle public debate. It is important to carefully consider the potential for abuse before this legislation is enacted.
I’d never heard of it either but apparently it’s already passed through the dáil. Seems like it’s coming. I believe it’s well intentioned and I generally agree with it but my concern is around a future potentially authoritarian government that might abuse it to silence dissent.
I’m just about to add a top level comment with my digging. Will link it here in a minute.
Yeah I’ve no issue with hate laws as a general exception to freedom of speech but there are some weird laws here. This does sound open to abuse from what I’m reading in OP but honestly this is the first I’ve heard of it and there’s not much to go on so I’ll have to reserve judgement until I’ve had a chance to read more.
In general I would prefer more free speech here, not less. Like I don’t want someone getting arrested for calling me a filthy paddy for example or having a meme of similar. It would make them a dickhead but I don’t think it’s worth jail time over. Again though I’ll have to read more.
We had a weird provision where blasphemy was illegal until recently but that was honestly largely because it required a public constitutional vote to remove (as all changes to our constitution do).
While writing this I’ve taken time to do some reading on current obscenity law status. The laws do sound quite archaic but have been reasonably implemented by the judiciary. Some examples below: (DPP is the department of public prosecution)
DPP v. DPP (2010): The Supreme Court of Ireland ruled that a website that depicted child pornography was an obscene publication.
DPP v. Walsh (2014): The Court of Appeal of Ireland ruled that a magazine that featured explicit photographs of adult women was not an obscene publication.
DPP v. McGivern (2018): The High Court of Ireland ruled that a book that contained graphic descriptions of sexual violence was not an obscene publication
Edit: If you make it this far you mention hate crime but not hate speech in the US. Freedom of speech there is reasonably close to absolute, right? Barring things like defamation etc.
I’ve seen that awful church protesting with what is absolutely hate speech “God hates fags” etc.
Oh nice. Thank you. Installed.