- Germany has established a large-scale system involving over 330 organizations and 425 government grants to identify and suppress online speech labeled as “misinformation” or “digital violence.”
- The system relies on government-certified groups, such as REspect! and HateAid, which have the power to demand the rapid removal of online content, including political criticism and dissent.
- Critics argue the system is creating a climate of fear, leading to widespread self-censorship. The government’s actions are compared to authoritarian tactics, with the goal of silencing dissent, particularly regarding policies on Ukraine.
- Laws against “digital violence” and “hate speech” are loosely defined, allowing authorities to penalize a wide range of expression, including insults, satire, and dissenting political opinions.
- The censorship framework is enforced with real-world consequences, including police raids on private homes and the professional targeting of individuals, such as the dismissal of academic Ulrike Guerot for her political views.
In an era where digital discourse shapes political and social realities, Germany has emerged as a focal point in the debate over online censorship. Greg Collard, managing editor of Racket News, expounded on how the country is in the tight clutches of the censorship-industrial complex in a piece published Monday, Nov. 24.
He cited a report from the free speech advocacy group liber-net, which revealed a sprawling network of government-funded organizations tasked with suppressing speech under the guise of combating “misinformation” and “digital violence.” With over 330 organizations and 425 government-backed grants fueling this apparatus, critics warn that Germany’s approach – once seen as a model for the European Union – now mirrors authoritarian tactics.
The findings come as similar censorship efforts in the U.S. have faced legal and public backlash, with key agencies like the now-disbanded Global Engagement Center and Stanford Internet Observatory scaling back operations. But while America’s censorship infrastructure appears to be weakening, Germany’s remains robust – raising concerns about where the West is headed in balancing security with free expression.
At the heart of Germany’s censorship framework is a government-certified network of “trusted flaggers” – organizations empowered to demand rapid removal of online content deemed harmful. Among them is REspect!, a group funded by the Demokratie leben (Live Democracy) grant program.
REspect! operates a portal where citizens report offensive speech, which are then forwarded to law enforcement. In one such instance, the group received a report of a citizen calling a state-level politician a “blowhard.”
Another key player is HateAid, which received €4.8 million ($5.56 million) in government funding and was certified as a trusted flagger in June 2024. Despite billing itself as a defender of free speech, HateAid has actively targeted critics of Germany’s Ukraine policy, labeling hashtags like “Kriegstreiber” (warmonger) as “pro-Kremlin propaganda.”
HateAid CEO Josephine Ballon defended the restrictions in a “60 Minutes” interview from February 2025: “Free speech needs boundaries. Already half of Internet users in Germany are afraid to express their political opinion,” she alleged. But critics argue this self-censorship stems not from organic public backlash, but from fear of state-backed reprisals.
Germany’s new war on words
Germany’s censorship extends beyond political discourse. Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, authorities have broad powers to penalize “digital violence” – a loosely defined term that includes insults, satire, and dissenting opinions. Police raids on individuals for online speech have drawn international scrutiny.
Thomas Geisel, a former mayor of Dusseldorf and current European Parliament member, warns that Germany’s system mirrors Russia’s post-Ukraine invasion speech laws – just with more subtlety. “The result is very similar in that you simply don’t speak your mind anymore,” he said.
One striking case involved political scientist Ulrike Guerot who was fired from the University of Bonn in 2023. Her termination followed the publishing of the book “Endspiel Europa” (Endgame Europe), where she argued that Ukraine was manipulated into provoking Russia. Though officially dismissed for alleged plagiarism, Guerot maintains the charges were pretextual.
“It draws the line between the dots,” she remarked after reviewing liber-net’s report. “It’s like a spider net, and it’s all connected. It was absolutely breathtaking.”
BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine warns that Germany has become a censorship police state due to its authoritarian new law forcing social media platforms to censor dissent – particularly targeting right-wing voices – under threat of heavy fines. This mirrors Stasi-era repression under the guise of combating “hate speech.”
Germany’s censorship-industrial complex offers a cautionary tale for democracies grappling with misinformation and online toxicity. While proponents argue such measures protect social cohesion, critics see a dangerous slide toward thought policing – where dissent is not just discouraged but actively punished. As U.S. lawsuits challenge government-backed censorship, Germany’s trajectory suggests an alternative path: one where speech controls become institutionalized under the banner of “democratic defense.”
Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams and Germar Rudolf discussing German free speech laws below.
This video is from the Brighteon Highlights channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
Racket.news
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com
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