Remove ‘vile’ abuse towards women, PM tells online giants

FACEBOOK, Twitter and other social media firms must automatically remove “vile” abuse directed at women online, the Prime Minister will warn today.

Speaking at the G7 summit, Theresa May will call on firms to use the same “advanced technologies” developed to remove Isil propaganda from the internet to protect women from abuse.

She will urge companies to do more to remove content promoting and depicting violence against women, including illegal violent pornography, and adverts linked to people-trafficking. Mrs May will say: “We know that technology plays a crucial part in advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls, but these benefits are being undermined by vile online violence, abuse and harassment.

“What is illegal offline is illegal online and I am calling on world leaders to take serious action. Companies making progress in removing extremist content must use the same methods to tackle this unacceptable and deeply worrying rising trend.”

Mrs May will say that after pressure from the UK and the US, Facebook removed 1.9million pieces of Isil and al-qaeda content in the first quarter of this year.