Germany: Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection opened consultation on Bill to strengthen civil and criminal protection against digital violence including content moderation regulation

On 17 April 2026, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection opened a consultation on the draft Bill to strengthen civil and criminal protection against digital violence, including provisions on content moderation, with submissions accepted until 22 May 2026. The draft Bill refers to forms of conduct such as hate speech, non-consensual intimate imagery, cyberstalking, and harassment in the context of digital technologies. It sets out measures relating to the criminal prosecution of digital offences and civil remedies for violations of personality rights, as well as obligations for platforms applicable under the Digital Services Act. The draft Bill provides that platforms are required to remove unlawful content upon judicial order, including where courts order the suspension of user accounts. It further specifies that courts may mandate the removal of identified content, such as posts, images, or other materials, where such content is determined in judicial proceedings to infringe relevant provisions of the Criminal Code, including those relating to hate speech, harassment, cyberstalking, sexual abuse material, and deepfakes. Platforms are required to implement such removal orders in accordance with the terms set by the court.