Database against dissemination of terrorist content contains 40,000 files

A database of, among others, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft, which was established in June to combat the spread of terrorist material, now contains more than 40,000 videos or images.

The database, part of the working group founded in June called The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, is now also used by Instagram, LinkedIn and Snap, among others, the four major tech companies report in a joint message. 68 smaller tech companies are now part of the working group. In 2018, the four major internet companies want to add even more partners to the working group to combat the spread of terrorist content.

Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and YouTube announced in December 2016 that they would set up a database to combat the spread of terrorist content on the Internet. In June, this database went online, tracking hashes of deleted extremist content so that it can be quickly recognized by others. In addition to this database, methods are also exchanged that are intended to automatically detect terrorist material.

The aim of the working group is to formalize and strengthen existing partnerships between the companies. The working group will also collaborate more with smaller tech companies, civil society organisations, academics, governments and supranational organizations such as the EU and the UN.

The creation of the working group in June probably had to do with pressure from various national governments on companies to do more to disseminate terrorist content. For example, after the attacks on London Bridge and the adjacent Borough Market, British Prime Minister Theresa May urged major tech companies to regulate the internet more strictly.

At the end of May, the G7 made a similar call. In October, the G7 and tech companies agreed on the approach to automated removal of terrorist content from the Internet. This mainly involves sharing best practices and techniques with smaller companies and conducting research and development.