Feddit.org announced today that they are changing their rules to match German law despite their server not being hosted in Germany.

Feddit.org now bans

  • The sentence “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”

  • Comparing Israel to the Nazis

  • Calls to end Zionism

  • Calling for the dissolution of Israel

And much more. The full original post can be found here, or

Click here for full text of original post:

Hi.

In the past few days, discontent regarding mod decisions in this community has been brewing, particularly when it comes to comments on Palestine, Israel, and Israeli politics and actions. There are also misunderstandings regarding mod intention and German law. We hope to clear that up with this post.

While the servers of feddit.org are in Austria, most of the mods of this community as well as admins of this server live in Germany. Speaking of, our server admins have also posted a write-up on the same topic.

And with that, let’s go:

In Germany, antisemitism is specifically sanctioned in German criminal law, both for speech and as a motivation for other criminal behavior. In addition, Germany seeks to protect the Jewish state of Israel (the so-called “Reason of State” introduced in 2008) and thus verges toward protecting Zionism as well. Certain criticism of Israel/Israelis is also categorized as “Israel-related antisemitism”.

Since criminal law is involved, enforcement can mean things like police raids and device confiscations. After such police action, it does not really matter if it was appropriate or if cases are dropped or never charged: The damage is done. All told, it’s not that fun.

There is also no point in engaging in discussions about the veracity of statements that could get us into legal trouble. In addition, we believe that you can express most opinions without breaking rules.

If your comment contains the following, it will be removed from this community:

  • Calling for the dissolution of Israel, or calling for a one-state solution without specifying equal rights for all people; Jewish in particular.
  • Calling for a destruction, annihilation, an end of all Zionism or the like.
  • Equating Israeli actions and (historical) Nazism.
  • The slogan “from the river…”
  • Endorsement of or justifications for Hamas or Hezbollah, or slogans or graphics positively referring to these organizations. These are considered terrorist organizations in Germany.
  • … and obviously: Any of the common antisemitic tropes or calls to violence against Jews or Israelis

Comments will not be removed for the following:

  • Denouncing genocide.
  • Denouncing Israeli war crimes.
  • Criticizing Zionism as an ideology or political movement.
  • Referring to the current Israeli government as “criminal,” “expansionist,” or “far-right”.

If your comment is removed nonetheless, these are not the reason. I’d also like to stress that this community was never a free-speech-absolutist zone: It is a (usually lightly) moderated community. There may also be times when bans go too far. In such cases, please DM the @[email protected] account (which all mods have access to).

To help you understand why, I'll leave an assortment of sources here (translations via DeepL).

  • A news report:

    Berlin in mid-May [2024] around 6 o’clock in the morning. A loud, continuous “banging” against the apartment door wakes student Alina T. from her sleep. […] When her husband opens the door, several LKA officers, two employees of the district office and the SEK “storm” past him into the apartment. Puzzled, he looks at the search warrant. […] The background to this was a Facebook entry in the student’s profile: "From the river […]

  • A legal treatise:

    In November 2023, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs also issued a prohibition order against Hamas.[60] According to the order, “the slogan ‘From the River to the Sea’ (in German or other languages)” is a distinguishing mark of Hamas[61]. […] the current legal situation [regarding “Denial of Israel’s right to exist”] is - contrary to what the statements of the Federal Ministry of Justice suggest[63] - anything but clear. Whether incitements to eliminate the State of Israel are prosecuted depends on the respective legal opinion and the prosecution will of the respective public prosecutor’s office.

  • Press release from the previous government:

    In this context, Section 111 StGB, which covers public incitement to commit crimes, may also be relevant. Incitement to extinguish Israel’s existence by force may be punishable under this provision. The same applies to calls to publicly display the Hamas flag. If Hamas attacks are publicly cheered and celebrated, this may also be punishable. This means that people who cheer on Hamas’s actions or publicly express their sympathy with the attacks may constitute the criminal offence of “approval of criminal acts” under Section 140 of the German Criminal Code (StGB).

  • Another news report

    In connection with the controversial Palestine Congress in Berlin, the German authorities have also imposed an entry ban on former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. “In order to prevent antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda at the event”, several entry bans have been issued, the news agency AFP learned from security sources on Sunday. One of these concerned Varoufakis. (Notably, Varoufakis would have spoken about one-state solutions …)

  • Overview Germany in 2024 by Amnesty International

  • Overview Germany in 2024 by Human Rights Watch

federal reverse (on behalf of the mods of !europe)

      • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
        0·
        5 months ago

        both are regime fronts on fedi.

        It amazing to see how organic opinion is against them and without centralized social media they can’t suppress this sentiment.

        Makes you wonder how often public opinions get subverted by these regime whore shills.

        • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          0·
          5 months ago

          I doubt Lemmy has any major effect on public option at large. Reddit never did when they supported Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders, at the height of its user count/activity.

          But I don’t doubt that Lemmy enables echo chambers and filter bubbles that enable people to brush aside any criticism of their favorite politician or nation-state as The Good Guys.

          • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world
            0·
            5 months ago

            I understood the comment above to be comparing how public opinion is allowed to shape itself in the fediverse, vs being censored and molded to only fit particular permitted messages in mainstream social media. We can express ourselves without worrying that we’ll get locked out of the entire fediverse for stating an opinion that mods or admins don’t like. Which makes it fair to wonder how much suppression is going on elsewhere, that we don’t see and never hear reports on, because censorship.

            I’m not sure where the idea of Lemmy having an effect on public opinion at large came from. It feels like a non-sequitur, but maybe I’m just too tired and I missed something.

          • Omega@discuss.online
            0·
            5 months ago

            Lemmy is the most ML oriented community I’ve been in… Well, it literally has been created by ML

  • GnuLinuxDude@lemmy.ml
    0·
    5 months ago

    Palestinians, remember the following: you can resist your occupation but ONLY on the occupiers terms.

    For the rest of us, remember the following: you can protest genocide, but ONLY on the genocider’s terms.

  • answersplease77@lemmy.world
    0·
    5 months ago

    I did not leave reddit to come to a fucked down version of political censorship. fuck you and begone. I’m blocking their instance

  • daggermoon@lemmy.world
    0·
    5 months ago

    I don’t blame the mods as they have little say in the matter but it’s sad to see never the less.

    • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
      0·
      5 months ago

      Western Germany never de-Nazified, the Nazis teamed up with the Zionists even when the Nazis were in power. They left the Nazis as they were effective anti-Communists, and the West collectively felt that was a worthwhile trade. Germany pays lip service to combatting fighting the Nazis, but keeps the underlying fascism the West in general has.

  • null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    0·
    5 months ago

    Oh man. Come on Lemmy.

    Maybe read the post again and put yourself in the shoes of the admins and mods who do live in Germany.

    Each of you personally has your own views on the Israel / Palestine genocide, and that’s absolutely fine.

    However, very few of you risk personal criminal prosecution in support of Palestine. The people involved in hosting a lemmy instance are volunteers, who probably didn’t sign up for that kind of risk.

    Also, the very nature of federation means that feddit can restrict this content on their servers confident in the knowledge that other servers can host this content in a jurisdiction that doesn’t have the same risks.

    • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      Maybe read the post again and put yourself in the shoes of the admins and mods who do live in Germany.

      Man sucks to be them. Oh well, better preemptively censor all words because its illegal! Don’t stand for what’s right!

      Why are you on an anarchist instance if you are for states limiting speech?

    • agelord@lemmy.world
      0·
      5 months ago

      What’s next? Put yourself in the shoes of the soldiers firing upon unarmed people?

      Also, the genocide is immoral, inhumane, and needs to stop. I don’t know any other personal view that can be “absolutely fine”

    • Dessalines@lemmy.ml
      0·
      5 months ago

      Maybe read the post again and put yourself in the shoes of the admins and mods who do live in Germany.

    • IttihadChe@lemmy.mlEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      My country is literally arbitrarily detaining and deporting/imprisoning people for advocating for a free Palestine. I still go to protests.

      Free Palestine, from the river to the sea!

    • BrainInABox@lemmy.mlEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      If I was one of the admins who lived in Germany, I would just step down; not capitulating to genocidal fascists is more important than getting to run my own little digital fiefdom.

  • ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world
    0·
    5 months ago

    I wonder if “Jews and non-Jews can’t live together, and thus Jews must be exiled to Israel” will be allowed…

  • nednobbins@lemm.ee
    0·
    5 months ago

    Germany tried to create laws to prevent a repeat of the Holocaust. It’s a laudable effort but they’re failing at it.

    The problem is that they were so specific about preventing “The Holocaust” that they ignored many other kinds of bigotry and racism. They thought that if they forbid a few key phrases and symbols, hatred would wither on the vine. Instead they just cleared the way for other aspects of racism to flourish.

  • humanspiral@lemmy.ca
    0·
    5 months ago

    Germany has a very binary view on class supremacism. It’s not supremacism is good vs bad. It’s a pendulum of who is above criticism. Russophobic nazi supremacism still kosher though.

      • BrainInABox@lemmy.mlEnglish
        0·
        5 months ago

        Trust a dronie to start whining about Russia and “tankies” in a thread about the genocide of Gaza.

        • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
          0·
          5 months ago

          Well to a tankie Ukrainians are not real people snd deservt it

          Palestine is a good talking point to highlight the westoid genocide tendencies.

          This the results you get when you shilling ideological shite instead of common sense

      • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        0·
        5 months ago

        Yep if you have Russian blood in you you’re guilty of all crimes of its government, even if you’re against Putin.

        You’re so cool and not at all xenophobic.

        • YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.todayEnglish
          0·
          5 months ago

          I want you to take notice and how I said “Russia” not “Russians”. The state aren’t the individual people. But good job with following the hive mind. So proud of you.

          • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            0·
            5 months ago

            The hivemind of “I don’t think everyone in Russia is inherently guilty of all crimes by Putin?”

            Alright let’s just arrest everyone Russian. They’re all guilty.

            • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
              0·
              5 months ago

              You are making shit up lol

              Also, many Russians support what Russia is doing in Ukraine the same way majority of Israeli Jews support the genocide…

              But have you thought about the population doing he oppression mate

              🤡

              • YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.todayEnglish
                0·
                5 months ago

                Bro, again. You’re acting like the person insulting me, assumed I was. Please grab some nuance. The individual citizens are not as a whole responsible for state actions. Despite it the majority of the populace is in favor, you cannot blame them as a whole.

              • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                0·
                5 months ago

                I’m sure a non-zero amount support it, but it’s like thinking that everyone in America is guilty of the invasion of Iraq.

                If there is a Israel citizen who is against the Genocide, I don’t want them considered guilty. I think they should be doing as much as they can against it, and being neutral to it is complicity. But if they’re against the genocide, they aren’t guilty.

                I’m also unsure of the rates of support for the War on Ukraine in Russia, but I doubt it’s 100%. Even if it’s 99%, that 1% can’t be considered guilty as charged for.

                I don’t consider think that being a citizen of a nation instantly makes you guilty. But I also acknowledge that they can benefit from how their nation acts on the world stage.

                My nation benefited from the Iraq invasion, but I was 6 years old when we did it. I didn’t even know what war really was then.

                • YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.todayEnglish
                  0·
                  5 months ago

                  Thank you one sane, non-kneejerk response. I appreciate you.

                  And for the late hivemind, I got a comment history full of not being a prick like the dude that responded to me.

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.worldBanned
      0·
      5 months ago

      Russophobic nazi supremacism still kosher though.

      I’ve noticed that pro-Israel Germans are usually not that much against Russia.

      • LemmeAtEm@lemmy.ml
        0·
        5 months ago

        Not from what I’ve seen at all. The people who insist on calling Palestinians (and any Arab people who oppose Zionism) “terrorists” are often the same people frothing at the mouth about how we have to smash the Russian “orcs.” Granted, this isn’t limited only to Germans, but I’ve definitely seen it specifically from them as well.

        • rottingleaf@lemmy.worldBanned
          0·
          5 months ago

          Worse is better. You need to have all sorts of delusions existent in the society, for the immunity to be preserved.

          Honestly I’ve had different experience, too much Russia-sympathy from Germans. But maybe that just came out of fashion.