Google may face criminal probe over hate videos

GOOGLE should face prosecution under the Terrorism Act unless it removes online hate speech, the Solicitor General said yesterday.

Robert Buckland issued the stark warning as BT, Waitrose, Cancer Research UK, the Co-op Group and Mercedes Benz joined the boycott of Google’s video platform YouTube.

And Coca-Cola said it had stopped advertising on YouTube in January amid fears its brand would be used alongside extremist content.

More than 250 companies have joined the boycott.

It comes after an investigation by The Times found Google made money from advertising placed on hate videos, and gave the extremists who posted them a share of the profits. Mr Buckland – the most senior lawyer in England after the Attorney General – told the told the Commons’ home affairs committee yesterday that Google must root out hate speech or face criminal prosecution.

He said: ‘There is an offence of recklessly disseminating this material, and the criminal law is there is a clear boundary beyond which they should not stray.

‘I think the legislation is clear. It is my hope and expectation that these organisations will indeed come to heel and obey the law but the law is there if necessary.’

Mr Buckland warned Google that the 2006 Terrorism Act could apply to companies as well as individuals.

The committee’s Labour chairman Yvette Cooper asked him to build a case against Google, amid concerns it was ‘aiding and abetting’ extremists. MPs also accused social media firms of putting politicians’ lives at risk by failing to tackle abuse they received online.

Deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle said that targeted hate crime was threatening democracy. He said: ‘They have to realise they cannot allow this to continue.’

Google makes the vast majority of its money from advertisements, which are placed on YouTube by complex technology rather than human judgment.

It then relies on technology and the public to flag up extremist videos one at a time before its staff will examine them.

Those posting videos receive up to £6.15 for every 1,000 views, and many are watched millions of times.

In a further day of shame for the technology giant, the firm yesterday offered another a mealy-mouthed apology for placing companies’ adverts next to hate speech.

Google’s global chief business officer Philipp Schindler said: ‘We had a number of cases where brands’ ads appeared on content that was not aligned with their values. For this, we deeply apologise.’

He also said the firm would make it easier to raise issues quickly.

But Labour MP Miss Cooper renewed calls for Google to hire staff to seek out extremist material, including by Islamic State recruiters and far-Right white supremacists.

Google’s bosses have already been hauled into the Cabinet Office and ‘read the riot act’. Last night Google refused to comment.

‘They cannot allow this to continue’