Altitude, an open-source tool built with Google Jigsaw, is now under the stewardship of Tech Against Terrorism.

Tech Against Terrorism will continue its ongoing work with Google Jigsaw by leading the maintenance and development efforts on the Altitude content moderation tool.

From the use of Generative AI, to gamified livestreams, terrorist and violent extremists are constantly finding new ways of exploiting the internet. This is why it’s important for tech platforms to have access to the best and most up to date tools to protect their communities from said content. 

However, not all tech platforms have the resources or expertise to tackle this threat effectively. This is why, Google Jigsaw and Tech Against Terrorism have developed Altitude. 

Altitude

Altitude is an open-source tool designed to aid content moderators in their efforts to detect, review, and remove terrorist and violent extremist content from their platforms.

• Better prioritise removal tasks: the easy-to-use interface features quick filters and key signals to help prioritise content.
• Reduce decision making times: content moderators will be able to work more efficiently by grouping and actioning content in a few clicks.
• Better understand the content: Altitude provides context on similar content, actions and terrorist groups, as well as providing policy information.

For these reasons, Altitude is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized platforms which often lack the resources and personnel to develop sophisticated content moderation tools independently.

Designed for small and medium-sized online platforms. 

Small and medium-sized platforms have become increasingly targeted by terrorists and violent extremists. As highlighted in our 2022 report “these platforms are increasingly targeted as a means of sharing this content but are often not included in current crisis response mechanisms, allowing the content to remain online for longer.”  
Over the past year Altitude has been tested with these kinds of platforms and helped them overcome challenges around moderating violent extremist content, such as lack of context, pitfalls of automation, and minimal database coverage. As the tool continues to evolve and help small and medium platforms, it will provide them with: 

• A cost-effective solution: Being open-source, Altitude is free to use, alleviating financial burdens.
• A scalable tool: The tool can adapt to the growing needs of the platform as it expands.
• Community Protection: Helps maintain a safe online environment, fostering trust among users
  

Tech Against Terrorism’s role 

As Tech Against Terrorism takes over the stewardship of Altitude, the tool is set to undergo technical improvements to enhance its performance and reliability. Some of the planned technical improvements include the enhancement of detection algorithms, user interface upgrades and integration capabilities. While Tech Against Terrorism will lead the development and maintenance efforts, Google Jigsaw will continue to provide advisory support, ensuring that Altitude remains at the forefront of technological advancements in content moderation.

Access to Altitude

Altitude will now be included in Tech Against Terrorism’s comprehensive tool suite. It will be available for free upon request as well as through the TAT Network's bronze tier, making it accessible to all platforms, regardless of size or budget. Higher tiers will also have access to Altitude, with additional support and advanced features.

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