What you need to know
- Tech and social media giants have created a new group to work together in fighting terrorist and extremist content online.
- Dubbed "Christchurch Call," the group's name is derived by the recent terror attack in Christchurch, New Zealand.
- The group's supporters include Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Facebook.
Tech giants are joining hands in the fight to counter violent content online. Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Twitter issued a joint statement today announcing The Christchurch Call – named for the recent terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand – as a group dedicated to the goal of "[eliminating] terrorist and violent extremist content online."
"The terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March were a horrifying tragedy," the companies said in a joint statement. "And so it is right that we come together, resolute in our commitment to ensure we are doing all we can to fight the hatred and extremism that lead to terrorist violence."
The formation of the Christchurch Call will expand on the work the companies have already been doing through the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT). For Microsoft in particular, this is the culmination of a call to action that Microsoft President Brad Smith initiated in March, shortly after the Christchurch attack.
As part of the group's formation, the companies involved outlined a nine-step plan to support their mission. The plan involves everything from education and transparency reports to working collaboratively to develop open source and AI tools to detect and remove extremist content.
"Terrorism and violent extremism are complex societal problems that require an all-of-society response," the company's said. "For our part, the commitments we are making today will further strengthen the partnership that Governments, society and the technology industry must have to address this threat."
This is an important step following the Christchurch attack, as video from the attack was posted and shared more than 1.5 million times on Facebook in the first 24 hours alone. As Smith argued in his blog post calling for more collaboration between tech companies in the wake of the attack, competition is "indispensable to a vibrant technology sector," cooperation is necessary when circumstances like these present themselves.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Disguise your little one with the help of a themed costume
From avocado halves to hoppy bunnies, costumes speak to every child's unique spirit. And we've collected our favorite options.

Add magic to your living space with these string lights
String lights add personality and soft light to your living space. Here are some of the best.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra's Space Zoom camera is amazing and a bit creepy
The Galaxy S20 Ultra supports up to 100X zoom, which Samsung calls Space Zoom, but is it any good? Can a phone really product usable photos at 100x zoom? We've got our Galaxy S20 Ultra already so join us to find out!

Create smooth, sleek, and glossy looks with the best flat iron
If you're looking for a flat iron that leaves your hair looking smooth and perfectly styled, take a peek at our top picks.