The US will join the Christchurch Call to eliminate “extremist” content online

In a departure from the policy of the previous administration, the United States has announced that it has joined an initiative to bring about tighter policing of online content, launched in the wake of the March 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand mosque massacre.

The initiative, known as the Christchurch Call to Action to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online, was unveiled in May of the same year, with New Zealand and France driving it.

Social media came under intense pressure from governments and regulators at the time, since the Australian who committed the crime livestreamed it on Facebook and was also active elsewhere online. In New Zealand and Australia, entire websites got blocked, with ISPs and telecommunications companies joining in the effort to prevent internet users from accessing this content.

Those behind the Christchurch Call believe that the attack inspired others around the world to similar action, and their solution is to have governments and tech and social media companies come together in removing content that they deem to be extremist.