The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

Terrorist content lurks all over the internet – regulating only 6 major platforms won’t be nearly enough

  • Written by Marten Risius, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, The University of Queensland
Terrorist content lurks all over the internet – regulating only 6 major platforms won’t be nearly enough

Australia’s eSafety commissioner has sent legal notices[1] to Google, Meta, Telegram, WhatsApp, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) asking them to show what they’re doing to protect Australians from online extremism. The six companies have 49 days to respond[2].

The notice comes at a time when governments are increasingly cracking down on major tech companies to address online harms like child sexual abuse material[3] or bullying[4].

Combating online extremism presents unique challenges different from other content moderation problems. Regulators wanting to establish effective and meaningful change must take into account what research has shown us about extremism and terrorism.

Extremists are everywhere

Online extremism and terrorism have been pressing concerns for some time. A stand-out example was the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack on two mosques in Aotearoa New Zealand, which was live streamed on Facebook. It led to the “Christchurch Call” to action[5], aimed at countering extremism through collaborations between countries and tech companies.

But despite such efforts, extremists still use online platforms[6] for networking and coordination, recruitment and radicalisation, knowledge transfer, financing and mobilisation to action.

In fact, extremists use the same online infrastructure as everyday users: marketplaces, dating platforms, gaming sites, music streaming sites and social networks. Therefore, all regulation to counter extremism needs to consider the rights of regular users, as well.

Read more: Christchurch attacks 5 years on: terrorist’s online history gives clues to preventing future atrocities[7]

The rise of ‘swarmcasting’

Tech companies have responded with initiatives like the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism[8]. It shares information on terrorist online content among its members (such as Facebook, Microsoft, YouTube, X and others) so they can take it down on their platforms. These approaches aim to automatically identify and remove[9] terrorist or extremist content.

However, a moderation policy focused on individual pieces of content on individual platforms fails to capture much of what’s out there.

Terrorist groups commonly use a “swarmcasting” multiplatform approach[10], leveraging 700 platforms or more to distribute their content.

Swarmcasting involves using “beacons” on major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram to direct people to locations with terrorist material. This beacon can be a hyperlink to a blog post on a website like Wordpress or Tumblr that then contains further links to the content, perhaps hosted on Google Drive, JustPaste.It, BitChute and other places where users can download it.

So, while extremist content may be flagged and removed from social media, it remains accessible online thanks to swarmcasting.

Close-up of a mouse cursor hovering over a click here link on a computer screen.
Extremist content can be ‘hidden’ behind collections of hyperlinks to cloud sites or other hosts. Jakub Krechowicz/Shutterstock[11]

Putting up filters isn’t enough

The process of identifying and removing extremist content is far from simple. For example, at a recent US Supreme Court hearing over internet regulations, a lawyer argued[12] platforms could moderate terrorist content by simply removing anything that mentioned “al Qaeda”.

However, internationally recognised terrorist organisations, their members and supporters do not solely distribute policy-violating extremist content. Some may be discussing non-terrorist activities, such as those who engage in humanitarian efforts.

Other times their content is borderline (awful but lawful), such as misogynistic dog whistles, or even “hidden” in a different format[13], such as memes.

Accordingly, platforms can’t always cite policy violations and are compelled to use other methods to counter such content. They report using various content moderation techniques such as redirecting users, pre-bunking misinformation[14], promoting counterspeech and offering warnings[15], or implementing shadow bans[16]. Despite these efforts, online extremism continues to persist.

Read more: Disinformation threatens global elections – here's how to fight back[17]

What is extremism, anyway?

All these problems are further compounded by the fact we lack a commonly accepted definition[18] for terrorism or extremism. All definitions currently in place are contentious.

Academics attempt to seek clarity by using relativistic definitions[19], such as

extremism itself is context-dependent in the sense that it is an inherently relative term that describes a deviation from something that is (more) ‘ordinary’, ‘mainstream’ or ‘normal’.

However, what is something we can accept as a universal normal? Democracy is not the global norm, nor are equal rights. Not even our understanding of central tenets of human rights[20] is globally established.

What should regulators do, then?

As the eSafety commissioner attempts to shed light on how major platforms counter terrorism, we offer several recommendations for the commissioner to consider.

1. Extremists rely on more than just the major platforms to disseminate information. This highlights the importance of expanding the current inquiries beyond just the major tech players.

2. Regulators need to consider the differences between platforms that resist compliance, those that comply halfheartedly, and those that struggle to comply, such as small content storage providers. Each type of platform requires different regulatory approaches[21] or assistance.

3. Future regulations should encourage platforms to transparently collaborate with academia. The global research community is well positioned to address these challenges[22], such as by developing actionable definitions of extremism and novel countermeasures.

References

  1. ^ has sent legal notices (www.abc.net.au)
  2. ^ have 49 days to respond (www.esafety.gov.au)
  3. ^ child sexual abuse material (theconversation.com)
  4. ^ bullying (www.cbsnews.com)
  5. ^ “Christchurch Call” to action (www.beehive.govt.nz)
  6. ^ extremists still use online platforms (www.rand.org)
  7. ^ Christchurch attacks 5 years on: terrorist’s online history gives clues to preventing future atrocities (theconversation.com)
  8. ^ Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (gifct.org)
  9. ^ automatically identify and remove (gifct.org)
  10. ^ “swarmcasting” multiplatform approach (static.rusi.org)
  11. ^ Jakub Krechowicz/Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  12. ^ a lawyer argued (law.stanford.edu)
  13. ^ in a different format (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  14. ^ pre-bunking misinformation (www.pbs.org)
  15. ^ offering warnings (www.bbc.com)
  16. ^ implementing shadow bans (theconversation.com)
  17. ^ Disinformation threatens global elections – here's how to fight back (theconversation.com)
  18. ^ commonly accepted definition (www.unodc.org)
  19. ^ relativistic definitions (www.ijcv.org)
  20. ^ central tenets of human rights (blogs.lse.ac.uk)
  21. ^ requires different regulatory approaches (ksp.techagainstterrorism.org)
  22. ^ to address these challenges (gifct.org)

Read more https://theconversation.com/terrorist-content-lurks-all-over-the-internet-regulating-only-6-major-platforms-wont-be-nearly-enough-226219

Times Magazine

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

NSW has a new fashion sector strategy – but a sustainable industry needs a federally legislated response

The New South Wales government recently announced the launch of the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy, 2025–28[1]. The strategy, developed in partnership with the Australian Fashion ...

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...

There’s a new vaccine for pneumococcal disease in Australia. Here’s what to know

The Australian government announced last week there’s a new vaccine[1] for pneumococcal disease on the National Immunisation Program for all children. This vaccine replaces pr...