Award reflects Tech Against Terrorism's impact in saving lives by disrupting terrorists online.
Adam Hadley, founder and Executive Director of Tech Against Terrorism, has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in HM The King’s Birthday Honours list for services to tackling terrorism and violent extremism online. The CBE is the highest rank within the Order of the British Empire to which people are appointed in recognition of the positive impact of their work.
Tech Against Terrorism was founded by Adam in 2016 as an initiative of the United Nations. It was established to encourage public and private action to disrupt terrorist content online. Since its launch, Tech Against Terrorism has tracked thousands of pieces of terrorist content online and proactively alerted tech platforms to have them taken down. In some instances, Tech Against Terrorism’s threat intelligence has also been used to thwart plots and save lives.
With terrorists and violent extremists being highly adaptable to new technology, Tech Against Terrorism advises both the public and private sectors of emerging trends in hostile actor adaptation. Today, Tech Against Terrorism not only warns of the harmful use of Generative AI but is actively advocating and experimenting with a range of technologies to prevent the exploitation of the Internet.
Tech Against Terrorism has worked to deliver sustainable solutions against the terrorist and violent extremist use of the internet, and the organisation’s work has been cited in several UN Security Resolutions. Tech Against Terrorism is unique in the diverse set of disciplines it unites with the objective of disrupting terrorist activity online.
On receiving the honour, Adam Hadley said:
“I am deeply honoured to receive this award. It reflects the incredible work of the entire team at Tech Against Terrorism and our relentless commitment to safeguarding our online communities. We aim to save lives and prevent harm by disrupting terrorists and violent extremists online. In some respects, in an age where state threats once again dominate national security thinking, this recognition also reflects the need to ensure counter-terrorism is not overlooked in our collective security. We are grateful to our many supporters and stakeholders both in the UK and worldwide who have helped us forge partnerships between the public and private sectors to take on the challenge head-on. Our strength lies also in our independence, and being able to challenge both big tech and governments to do better in tackling terrorist exploitation of the internet. This recognition strengthens our resolve to continue our mission and further innovate against online extremism. We remain dedicated to creating a safer digital world for future generations."
Commending Adam for his honour, Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism and State Threat Legislation said: “Adam richly deserves this CBE, and I am delighted that his dedication has been recognised. Society is better off when civil society organisations like Tech Against Terrorism deploy principled and expert agitation to expose terrorist use of the internet and offer practical solutions. Adam is to be congratulated for his far-sighted and innovative leadership."
Adam will receive the CBE insignia at an investiture held later in the year.
About Adam Hadley
Adam Hadley is the Founder and Executive Director of Tech Against Terrorism, a public-private partnership dedicated to disrupting terrorists online. Tech Against Terrorism was established as an initiative of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), and the UN Security Council has since recognised it for enabling the global tech sector to tackle the terrorist use of the internet and respecting human rights.
Adam is also the CEO of QuantSpark, a strategic consultancy focused on transformation through analytics and AI. Leading an entrepreneurial team of data scientists, analysts, and engineers, he orchestrates initiatives to optimise high-value, complex processes to enhance operational efficiency and bolster profitability. QuantSpark's impact extends across diverse industries including the public sector.
Adam has an 'eclectic' background in data science and counterterrorism, and he also speaks Arabic.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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Tech Against Terrorism aims to save lives by disrupting terrorist activity online and upholding human rights. Launched by the United Nations in 2016, Tech Against Terrorism was established to galvanise a sustainable and collaborative response by governments and tech companies to the online terrorist threat.
