With radicalism being a universal worry (especially of late) we have to rely on the business powerhouses of the world to take action, using their communicative skills to spread positive messages. It seems tech giants, Google, aim to achieve just this, working to show anti-radicalisation links on extremist-related search results.
In doing so they are sculpting a message to users, a company mission that was revealed during an appearance before MPs on the Home Affairs Committee.
Dr Anthony House of Google claims that showing anti-extremist adverts alongside results is a direct attempt to tackle extremist views, counteracting powerful messages with other powerful messages.
A counter-narrative
With extremist propaganda being infamously persuasive Google have to work with some level of impartiality, ensuring they encourage a community of users they can protect digitally.
“It’s of fundamental importance,” Dr House told MPs. “We don’t want our platform to be an unsafe place.”
Although these radicalised messages will still be present and obtainable on the web Google want to offer a counter-narrative, putting pillars in place that paint a clear political picture.
How is Twitter using their position of power?
At the same meeting, Twitter revealed that it didn’t automatically tell police about terrorist content, an approach that arguably needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
One representative of Twitter (with one HILARIOUS name) justifies the stance taken on such content:
Mr Pickles said: “By our policy we allow ourselves to not notify a user where it is counter-productive.
“In the case of an ongoing counter-terrorism investigation, that would be a circumstance where we would not seek to provide user notification that a request for data had been made.”
Facebook passed comment saying it had become a “hostile place” for IS.
The company’s Simon Milner told MPs: “Keeping people safe is our number one priority.
“Isis is part of that but it’s absolutely not the only extremist organisation or behaviour that we care about.”
Let us know what you think, is it the responsibility of tech and social media companies to tackle propaganda? Share your opinions with us by commenting below.
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