European Treaty To Ban Net ‘Hate Speech’ Draws Praise, Concern

Authors of e-mails and Internet postings that contain racist or xenophobic material may face criminal charges under a proposed European treaty that is dividing the Internet and law enforcement communities. The proposal, drafted by the Council of Europe, would essentially outlaw the publishing of hate speech on the Internet. Welcomed by law enforcement agencies, it has been slammed by Internet firms as impossible to enforce