PM demands tech giants wipe ‘sickening’ terror content from the internet after Christchurch attack
Technology companies must 'do more to stamp out online terrorism'
THERESA May will unite with world leaders to demand tech giants wipe out “sickening” terror content from the internet.
Signing up to the ‘Christchurch Call’ at a major summit in Paris, she will demand Facebook does more after it was used by twisted white supremacist Brenton Tarrant to livestream his massacre.
Some 52 people were slaughtered when the far-right fanatic gunned down worshippers in two mosques in March this year.
She will urge world leaders to be “ambitious and steadfast” in making sure social media is not “weaponised” by terrorists.
And she will call for others to follow Britain’s lead and impose a legal duty of care on internet companies so bosses can be prosecuted if they fail to protect users.
Speaking ahead of the summit, the PM said: “The sickening attacks on Muslim worshippers in Christchurch shocked the world.
“That 1.5 million copies of the video had to be removed by Facebook - and could still be found on Youtube for as long as eight hours after it was first posted - is a stark reminder that we need to do more both to remove this content, and stop it going online in the first place.”
Moans turmoil
GOOGLE and Twitter’s online complaints system is like the Wild West and open to abuse, say researchers.
It is clogged up by the ten biggest complainers, including Fox and NBC, making 41 per cent of complaints, mostly about copyright.
That risks crowding out small organisations or individuals, say the Queen Mary University of London researchers.
One said: “It resembles the Wild West.”
HATE FILLED TERROR
She said that the bloody massacre was livestreamed on Facebook “exposed gaps” in the ability of the authorities.
Countries across the world including Canada, Ireland, Norway are set to join Britain in signing up to the pledge to demand tech companies do more to stamp out online terrorism.
The summit is being held by Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Tech bosses, including Nick Clegg – the ex-deputy PM and Facebook’s new head of global affairs – are also attending.
Mrs May will say that that hate-filled propaganda spouted by Islamic State terrorists has been driven down to its lowest levels since 2015 after she demanded tougher action.
And she will demand tech companies now use the same zeal to “confront the rise of the Far Right online”.
It comes as the Home Office reveals a Neo Nazi website has had a shocking 12million posts.
Officials refused to name the website – but said the case highlights the shocking level of hate pedalled online.
Meanwhile, Facebook desperately tried to get ahead of the onslaught of criticism by using the summit to announce tough new restrictions on who can use Facebook’s livestream feature.
They are imposing a new “one strike” rule which would means users who share offensive content slapped with a 30 dady ban from using the livestream function.
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