World News

UN Anti-Terrorism Tech Group Adds Taliban To Watchlist

A United Nations anti-terrorism group will begin adding Taliban content to a database used by tech companies to moderate their platforms.

Tech Against Terrorism, a group launched by the United Nations Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (UN CTED) that works with the tech industry to combat terrorist threats, announced Monday it would begin including official Taliban content in its Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP), a database of terrorist images, videos, and manifestos. The database is used by tech platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to aid in content moderation.

“The Taliban was one of the groups that we have considered adding to the TCAP for a long time, however in light of recent events in Afghanistan and to provide clarity for the tech companies we work with on this (admittedly challenging) content moderation issue, we have decided to accelerate inclusion of official Taliban content,” the group said.

The TCAP was initially focused on content from Islamic State and al-Qaida, adding material from far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and Three Percenters in July. Tech Against Terrorism said it would continue to add groups to the database as it improved its methodology for identifying terrorist content.

“Initially, the TCAP has focused on a small set of designated violent Islamist and far-right terrorist groups,” the group said. “For us, this approach has been the right one, as it ensures that we as a non-governmental actor do not contribute to any undue norm-setting and prevent ‘content cartelization’ in our tech company support mechanisms.”

Links flagged in the TCAP are added to a shared database maintained by the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), an organization founded by Big Tech companies to combat online terrorism. Member companies, which include Facebook, YouTube, Microsoft, and Twitter, use the database to remove terrorist content from their platforms.

So far, GIFCT members have implemented mixed moderation policies with regards to Taliban material.

Twitter said it wouldn’t kick Taliban spokesmen off its platform so long as they complied with its rules, while Facebook and YouTube have banned material from the group. Twitter did not respond when asked for comment.

Tech Against Terrorism recommended tech companies remove Taliban content.

“Platforms should, in addition to looking to TCAP alerts and designation lists of democratic states, also assess groups, actors and the content they produce against based on their own rules on terrorism, violent extremism, and incitement to and/or glorification of violence,” the group said.

Tech Against Terrorism did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for additional comment.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org

Ailan Evans

Share
Published by
Ailan Evans

Recent Posts

Tehran Dangles Peace Deal Hours Before Trump Threatens To ‘Annihilate’ Iran

Iran offered Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United…

10 hours ago

Prediction Market Biz Asks Regulator To Let Traders Bet With Borrowed Money. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Prediction market giant Kalshi asked federal regulators to let institutional traders use borrowed funds on…

10 hours ago

Kroger Gaining One Million High-Income Customers Last Year Is Not Good Economic News

I have oft written of the K-Shaped Economy. To wit….K Street Dominates DC – So…

10 hours ago

Could States Finally Be Forced To Recognize Out-Of-State Carry Permits?

Many anti-Second Amendment groups cite the licensing of drivers and registration of cars to justify…

10 hours ago

AI Giants Reportedly Neared Deal To Safety Test Each Other’s Models

Two of the largest artificial intelligence labs held talks to safety-test each other’s models, according…

10 hours ago

Embarrassing! NYT & Legacy Media Attempting to Defend Journalism, Embarrass Selves: Ironic, Recursive, or Moronic? All Three

Prior to audit this New York Times social media post we asked: Is this NYT Piece…

10 hours ago