Posted on May 16, 2019
Trump Administration Balks at Global Pact to Crack Down on Online Extremism
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The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it would not sign an international accord intended to pressure the largest internet platforms to eradicate violent and extremist content, highlighting a broader divide between the United States and other countries over government’s role in determining what content is acceptable online.
Citing free speech protections, the administration said in a statement that “the United States is not currently in a position to join the endorsement.” It added that “the best tool to defeat terrorist speech is productive speech.”
The statement coincided with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand meeting in Paris to sign what they have labeled the Christchurch Call. The agreement was crafted after a terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March that left 51 Muslim worshipers dead. The massacre was live streamed on Facebook, and spread virally over the internet.
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Ms. Ardern has used the Christchurch killings to rally support for increased vigilance toward keeping violent and extremist content off the world’s largest internet platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft and Amazon have vowed to monitor their services more aggressively for material that encourages and facilitates violence.
Citing free speech protections, the administration said in a statement that “the United States is not currently in a position to join the endorsement.” It added that “the best tool to defeat terrorist speech is productive speech.”
The statement coincided with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand meeting in Paris to sign what they have labeled the Christchurch Call. The agreement was crafted after a terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March that left 51 Muslim worshipers dead. The massacre was live streamed on Facebook, and spread virally over the internet.
[Get the Bits newsletter for the latest from Silicon Valley and the technology industry.]
Ms. Ardern has used the Christchurch killings to rally support for increased vigilance toward keeping violent and extremist content off the world’s largest internet platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft and Amazon have vowed to monitor their services more aggressively for material that encourages and facilitates violence.
Trump Administration Balks at Global Pact to Crack Down on Online Extremism
Posted from nytimes.com
Internet
Online Media
Terrorism
Facebook
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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When our fearless leader doesn't believe there is a problem why would they join in!
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For me, this falls under the, "be careful what you wish for" category. No one wants Neo-Nazis, Islamic Extremists, pedophiles, or some other trash spreading their B.S. all over the Web... but "extremism" is a pretty broad label, that can be bent a lot of different ways to achieve a lot of nefarious ends. In this case, it "makes sense", but the devil's always in the details.
Free speech means free speech. If someone posts something I don't like, that "offends" me, or promotes something that angers me...or frightens me, I have the choice to ignore it, or roll-up my sleeves, grease up my keyboard, and enter the fray. Naturally, if someone is using that "speech" to plan/coordinate/or advertise a crime, then "speech" reveals actions, and not all actions are "free".
Free speech means free speech. If someone posts something I don't like, that "offends" me, or promotes something that angers me...or frightens me, I have the choice to ignore it, or roll-up my sleeves, grease up my keyboard, and enter the fray. Naturally, if someone is using that "speech" to plan/coordinate/or advertise a crime, then "speech" reveals actions, and not all actions are "free".
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