Social media giants overhaul counterterrorism efforts

A consortium of social media giants including Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and YouTube on Monday announced it will be formalizing its counterterrorism efforts, forming an independent group with a dedicated staff to coordinate the takedown of extremist content across the world’s top platforms.

The companies said they will announce their revamp of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) during a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

The companies are set to meet with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss what they are doing about the extremist content that proliferates across their networks.

“At this important convening, GIFCT is announcing it will become an independent organization led by an Executive Director and supported by dedicated technology, counterterrorism and operations teams,” the companies said in a statement early Monday evening.

Background: The GIFCT was formed by Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube in 2017, just as the companies were facing intensifying criticism over discoveries that al Qaeda and ISIS were using their platforms to recruit and radicalize mostly young, disenfranchised men. Videos of violent beheadings went viral, prompting regulators and lawmakers to turn up the heat.

But so far, the GIFCT has mainly consisted of a database that allows the companies to share digital footprints of terrorist content they identify. It has not been a brick-and-mortar building or an official organization.

But now: The companies on Monday announced that is going to change. And a trio of top companies will join them in their efforts — Amazon, LinkedIn and WhatsApp will join the GIFCT’s new independent organization. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, and WhatsApp is owned by Facebook.

The new GIFCT will be led by an independent executive director, who will engage with an operational board and advisory committee, according to the announcement.