After Alleged Election Fraud and Protests, Honduran Congress Moves to Regulate Hate Speech Online

http://globalvoices.org/2018/02/10/after-alleged-election-fraud-and-protests-honduran-congress-moves-to-regulate-hate-speech-online/
Date Written:  2018-02-10
Publisher:  Global Voices
Year Published:  2018
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX22024

The Honduran Congress is debating a law that seeks to regulate hate speech and "fake news" on the Internet. Honduran activists and opposition political parties say the proposal would function as a gag law aimed at silencing government critics.

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The law does not describe how, specifically, internet providers would implement such procedures, but it would require companies and administrators to submit a report on their efforts to a governmental commission, CONATEL, every three months. If they fail to do this, they can be fined up to 1 million lempiras (equivalent to USD 42,533) or have their website or account blocked altogether.

The proposed law also envisions a Cybersecurity Commission, made up of institutions such as the Defense Ministry, the Supreme Court, the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank of Honduras along with a Consultative Counsel which include human rights experts, journalists, lawyers and university organizations.

Marcos Bertilio Paz, the congressman from the majority party who put forth the proposal, justifies his motion as a protection from disruptive hate campaigns. Although he claims that everyone "can share content and opinions like before," many citizens and civil society groups question his motives.