What does German law say about online threats using Social Media (Youtube)?
<p>I was watching a Youtube Video where a man calls on other people to kill a woman who burned the Quran and filmed it.</p>

<p>I know it's not OK if you disrespect somone's religion, but no one has a right to kill you or call for other people to kill you just for burning a book, do they?</p>

<p>I reported the video to YouTube and got the following response:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/QAA27.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/QAA27.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Is this really accurate? Does this not constitute an illegal threat under German law?</p>

<p>YT has certain obligations under Germany’s hate speech law <a href="http://bundesrecht.juris.de/netzdg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gesetz zur Verbesserung der Rechtsdurchsetzung in sozialen Netzwerken</a>.
You can <a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/contact/netzdg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">file complaints with a dedicated form</a>.</p>
<p>Per se, you are correct:
The German penal code § 111 punishes <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p1234" rel="nofollow noreferrer">public incitement to commit offences</a>.
However, as a prerequisite to any crime, German penal law must be applicable in the first place.
Specifically, it is questionable whether the man (when shooting and/or uploading the video) is/was located in Germany at that time, <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p0024" rel="nofollow noreferrer">§ 3 StGB</a>.
Hence YT’s assessment <em>was</em> OK.</p>
<p><strong>Since January 1, 2021</strong>, (cf. 2020 Federal Gazette Ⅰ p. 2600) posting the same kind of video could be a crime via <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p0028" rel="nofollow noreferrer">§ 5 No. 5a lit. a StGB</a> if</p>
<ul>
<li>the woman was at that time in Germany, or</li>
<li>the man is a German citizen or</li>
<li>the man usually resides in the FRG.</li>
</ul>
<p>In your particular case, though, it is irrelevant, because you’re judged by the criminal law that was in effect at that time, <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p0017" rel="nofollow noreferrer">§ 2 ⑴ StGB</a>.</p>

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