Christchurch call further bolsters online safety

Keeping Australians safe online by eliminating terrorist and violent extremist content from the internet continues to be a key focus of the Morrison Government.

Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews today joined New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron, and more than 50 other government and technology leaders on the second anniversary of the Christchurch Call.

“We are committed to tackling terrorist and violent extremist content in all its forms – no matter the platform – to keep Australians safe,” Minister Andrews said.

“We know that the internet is not immune from abuse by terrorist and violent extremist actors, which is why we must work together to combat it.”

The Christchurch Call was initiated in the wake of the March 2019 Christchurch terror attacks, which were streamed live on social media, to help keep online spaces safe from terrorists and extremists.

At today’s Virtual Summit, participants agreed to improve crisis responses, further research the link between social media algorithms and radicalisation, and enhance transparency through voluntary reporting of the removal of terrorist and violent extremist content.

“The Australian Government has championed the development of the first global Voluntary Transparency Reporting Framework, to better understand what tech companies are doing to eliminate terrorist content from their services,” Minister Andrews said.

“The Framework will provide common standards for social media companies, allowing them to provide transparent, public reporting on the steps they are taking to prevent, detect and remove terrorist content.

“An open and secure internet is vital, but it must not come at the expense of our safety.

“We have come a long way as a community, however, our work will not be complete until we have eradicated the capability for violent extremists to weaponise the internet.

“Our approach is collaborative, as everyone has a part to play – including governments, individuals, online service providers and social media companies.”