Directorate of Communications - Council of Europe Secretary General concerned about Internet censorship: Rules for blocking and removal of illegal content must be transparent and proportionate

“Governments have an obligation to combat the promotion of terrorism, child abuse material, hate speech and other illegal content online. However, I am concerned that some states are not clearly defining what constitutes illegal content. Decisions are often delegated to authorities who are given a wide margin for interpreting content, potentially to the detriment of freedom of expression. On the basis of this study we will take a constructive approach and develop common European standards to better protect freedom of expression online”, said Secretary General Jagland.