Tech Against Terrorism applauds Australia's eSafety Commissioner for tackling online extremism and stresses collaboration and transparency in countering radicalisation effectively.
In response to the recent legal notices issued by Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Tech Against Terrorism commends the proactive stance taken by the regulatory body to address the spread of terrorist and violent extremist material online. The notices mark an important step towards safeguarding online spaces from harmful content and activities.
The eSafety Commissioner's initiative underscores the persistent threat posed by terrorist and violent extremist material in the digital space, highlighted by tragic events such as the 2019 Christchurch and Halle attacks, and more recently in Buffalo, NY. As technology continues to evolve, so too do the methods employed by extremists to exploit online platforms for radicalisation and dissemination of harmful content.
Of particular concern is the emerging use of Generative AI by terrorist groups, as noted in Tech Against Terrorism's recent research findings. Extremists are increasingly leveraging advanced technologies such as chatbots, live-streaming, algorithms, and recommender systems to propagate their ideologies and recruit new members. Tech Against Terrorism applauds the eSafety Commissioner's attention to this issue and echoes the call for better industry coordination and collaboration to mitigate these risks effectively.
Moreover, Tech Against Terrorism reaffirms its longstanding advocacy for greater transparency within the tech sector regarding policies and measures implemented to counter terrorist and violent extremist content. Transparency, accountability, and proactive engagement are crucial for upholding community expectations and user safety online.
Despite the voluntary transparency commitments that companies have made, through industry-led initiatives such as the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and Christchurch Call, we are concerned that the eSafety Commissioner has resorted to mandatory notices in the absence of the required information.
Tech Against Terrorism supports the Commissioner's assertion that regulation and mandatory notices are necessary to comprehensively understand and address the challenges posed by terrorist and violent extremist content online.
As the regulatory landscape evolves, Tech Against Terrorism remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders across industry, government, and civil society to develop effective strategies and solutions to counter online extremism.