The 'X' logo is displayed atop the headquarters of the messaging platform, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, on July 30, 2023. (REUTERS)
A leading counter-terrorism group in the tech industry is raising alarms over the content shared on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter). Specifically, the group is concerned about the presence of videos and posts by Hamas, a Palestinian militant organization, on the platform. According to The Sunday Times, this has sparked fears within the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), a collective that includes major tech giants like Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and YouTube, over the potential damage to its credibility due to X’s association and membership on its board.
Members of GIFCT are worried that X's involvement in the group could undermine their efforts to counteract extremist content online. The forum, established in 2017 under pressure from U.S. and European governments, was created to tackle the spread of terrorist propaganda across social media platforms. However, recent developments have led to concerns that X is not fully committed to the cause, especially as it has reportedly reduced its financial contributions to the organization.
The concerns are heightened by the ease with which harmful content can be found on X. The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity dedicated to combating extremism and antisemitism, pointed out that X has become one of the most accessible platforms for finding videos produced by proscribed terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to CST, their researchers were able to locate such content within just ten minutes of searching on the platform.
The annual report from the GIFCT's independent advisory committee for 2023 also reflected growing unease over online safety and trust issues. It highlighted a perceived decline in the priority given to online trust and safety by some platforms, which negatively impacts their ability to moderate extremist content effectively. Although the report didn’t name X directly, The Sunday Times suggests that this criticism was aimed at the platform.
Elon Musk’s approach to transforming X into a “free speech” platform has been controversial. Under his leadership, X has reinstated previously banned extremist accounts, introduced a paid verification system, and significantly reduced its content moderation team. These moves have sparked criticism from various quarters, including those within the GIFCT, who worry that X’s current policies may facilitate the spread of extremist content.
Despite the concerns, both X Corp and the GIFCT have so far not responded to requests for comment on the matter. The ongoing situation has left many questioning the future effectiveness of the GIFCT in its mission to curb online terrorism and whether X’s continued involvement in the group is tenable.
