It's a crime to lie or insult a politician online in Germany, prosecutors tell '60 Minutes'

German prosecutors revealed that it is a crime in their country to share false information online or even to be mean to another person in public.

Just days after Vice President JD Vance called out European countries for their opposition to free speech, German prosecutors provided some stunning revelations about speech laws in the country.

Vance gave remarks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, saying that there is a "threat from within" European borders, referring to poor policy surrounding immigration, religious freedoms, and freedom of speech.

Munich Security Conference Chairman Christoph Heusgen took particular offense at Vance's comments, saying that the common value base among the countries does not appear to be that common any more. He then praised other European leaders, especially Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for reaffirming the values of "democracy" and "freedom."

'The fine could be even higher if you insult someone in the internet.'

As it turns out, if the vice president's words were seen as insulting, he conceivably could have committed a crime under German law.

"Is it a crime to insult somebody in public?" Sharyn Alfonsi, host of "60 Minutes" asked a panel of German lawyers.

"Yes. Yes. It is," they replied unanimously.

"And it's a crime to insult them online, as well?" Alfonsi then asked.

"Yes. The fine could be even higher if you insult someone in the internet," one of the prosecutors explained. "Because in internet, it stays there. If we are talking here face-to-face, you insult me, I insult you. Okay. Finish. But if you in the internet, if I insult you or a politician —" Alfonsi then jumped in.

"That sticks around forever," she stated, and the Germans concurred.

The CBS host explained that German law also prohibits the spread of "malicious gossip, violent threats, and fake quotes."

This even extends to reposting or sharing "something that's not true" online, according to the Germans. One of the prosecutors claimed the reasoning behind such laws is because the reader "can't distinguish whether you just invented this or just reposted it."

"Half of the internet users in Germany are afraid to express their political opinion," Josephine Ballon, one of the prosecutors, was credited as saying.

She continued, "Without boundaries, a very small group of people can rely on endless freedom to say anything they want, while everyone else is scared and intimidated."

While this could be interpreted as a statement in support of greater protections surrounding speech, Ballon is a co-CEO of an alleged human rights organization called HateAid. The company purports to support victims of "online violence."

Later on the same program, CBS showed German police conducting multiple raids on residents who had allegedly posted hate speech online. Police arrived with armed officers to confiscate laptops and cell phones.

The raids were revealed to be part of an ongoing coordinated effort to "curb online hate speech" in Germany.

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