Counter-terrorism chief accuses tech giant ‘accomplices’
THE failure of social media websites to properly police their own content is making them “accomplices” to terrorists, experts warned last night.
Fifteen years after the 7/7 bombings, platforms like YouTube were accused of spreading the hate-filled messages of fanatics like Abdullah el-Faisal and Anwar al-Awlaki across the UK – despite one being incarcerated and the other dead.
In a blistering attack on the attitude of tech giants and alleged failures of the Government to act, the Counter Extremism Project has demanded immediate new laws to prevent social media bosses “acting as their unwitting enablers”.
Writing exclusively for the Daily Express today, counter terrorism chief and executive director of the CEP David Ibsen said: “Research has uncovered direct ties between al-Awlaki and 99 other extremists.
“Many owned DVDs or audio recordings of lectures, while others viewed them on YouTube including the Tsarnaev brothers, who conducted the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
“Lectures by al-Awlaki were found in the Iqra bookshop in Leeds, where the July 7 bombers regularly held meetings.
Hatred
“It is time for real action to protect UK citizens from the words of these ushers of terror, by imposing laws to stop social media bosses acting as their unwitting enablers.”
London-born convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary, released on licence in 2018 after serving five-and-a-half years in prison for encouraging Muslims to join ISIS, was a disciple of al-Awlaki.
YouTube said: “We’ve had long standing policies that prohibit terrorist recruitment videos, content from known terrorists and content intending to incite violence.
“We have made significant investments to our technology to ensure we quickly remove this content from YouTube.
“Beyond that, the best way to fight hatred and violent extremism is to partner with others.
“So we collaborate with community groups, governments and industry partners to work together to combat these threats.”
The Daily Express continues to campaign for immediate and effective protection for children using the internet.