The German government's hotline policy for reporting 'hate and agitation on the internet' is facing criticism from lawyers, politicians, and journalists. Concerns arise over the potential for opinion to be misclassified as hate speech, leading to police raids on citizens for posting critical memes. The 'trusted flagger' NGOs, funded by the state, are seen as semi-governmental entities that may lead to censorship. Politicians express skepticism about the implications for freedom of expression, especially with the recent reintroduction of the offence of lèse majesté. The funding structure of these reporting centres raises further concerns about independence and the potential silencing of dissenting opinions. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)