Digital giants will try to limit extremist content

The big digital companies they committed on Wednesday to Take a series of measures to eliminate extremist content on the Internet, as part of an initiative launched in Paris following the attack in Christchurch in New Zealand. This international mobilization dubbed "Call of Christchurch", was launched by the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardernand the French president, Emmanuel Macron, two months after the attack on two mosques in New Zealand, broadcast live on Facebook for 17 minutes.

"The dissemination of this type of online content has a negative impact on human rights" and "in our collective security", said the signatories of this initiative, among which Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, after a meeting in Paris with world leaders.

The creepy images of this double attack in which 51 people died they stayed online for another 12 minutes before Facebook was alerted by a user and removed it.. But the video It has been downloaded and shared millions of times in the following days.

"We can be proud […] We have taken concrete steps to prevent a tragedy like Christchurch, "said Prime Minister Ardern.

"Our goal is never to replicate the Internet transformation in a crazy propaganda machine, a goal sought by right-wing terrorists and Islamist terrorists"Macron insisted at a press conference.

To prevent this from happening again, Internet platforms have committed themselves to "take transparent and specific measures to prevent the downloading and dissemination of violent or terrorist extremist content on social networks"said a statement.

Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook Cooperate in finding new tools to quickly identify and eliminate extremist content

On this basis, they plan to share databases of violent messages or images, to ensure that they do not spread across multiple platforms. Large companies also said that They would explore the possibility of adjusting their algorithms to prevent this type of content from becoming viral. and facilitate the reporting of violent content.

"For the first time, governments, international organizations, businesses and digital organizations have agreed on a series of measures and long-term collaboration to make the Internet safer," said the French presidency.

In addition to France and New Zealand, this call was adopted by Canada, Ireland, Jordan, Norway, United Kingdom, Senegal, Indonesiaand for the European Commission From other states, like Spain, Australia and Germany, "supported" the initiative, said the Elysee. In line with this new initiative, Macron said a few days ago that Facebook's control over "hate speech" was limited.

A few hours before the meeting in Paris, Facebook announced that it would restrict the use of its live video streaming platform.

"The March 15 terrorist has left evidence that the transmission of live footage could be used to spread hatred, Facebook has made a tangible first step to prevent this act from repeating itself on its platform," he said. applauded the New Zealand Minister.

"We need to build a free, open and secure Internet that offers everyone the opportunity to share, learn and innovate, but also to defend our values, protect our citizens and empower them. " said President Macron, host of the meeting in Paris. France, one of the most involved countries in this campaign, is preparing a bill requiring the removal of social networking content posted within 24 hours, under penalty of a fine. Paris hopes to promote this legislation at European level.

Some badysts have questioned the effectiveness of the "Christchurch Appeal", especially since the measures being considered are not coercive.

"It's a declaration of principle, a political initiative, nothing more," said Marc Rees, editor-in-chief of the French Next INpact portal, specializing in new technologies. "It's not that Facebook or Twitter do not want to do it, but removing real-time content online is simply impossible," he added.

This call was announced on the occasion of the second "Tech for Good" summit, an initiative launched by Macron in 2018, to discuss how new technologies can contribute to the common good, such as the one in the world. education or health. The meeting was attended by senior staff frome Wikipedia, Uber, Twitter, Microsoft and Google. Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, was not present, but he already met Macron privately last week.

United States, the birthplace of the vast majority of internet giants, did not sign the call of "Christchurch", and he was represented only at the junior level at a meeting of G7 ministers on digital issues, which was also held Wednesday in Paris.

AFP / H.B.