(New York, N.Y.) - Today, at the final plenary session of the current European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, MEPs voted in favour of regulation preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online. This vote represents an important step in the elimination of online terrorist content, protecting communities from digital threats of extremism which can occur without warning at any time.
The terror content file ensures that hosting service providers remove or disable access to terrorist content within one hour of receiving a removal order, paving the way for the limitation of the reach of online terrorists. The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has consistently stated that online terrorist communities must be disrupted in any and all ways possible, and is encouraged by today’s action taken by MEPs to ensure they can no longer freely incite violence online.
European action against terrorist propaganda is long overdue, yet in their final plenary session MEPs have made a significant stand for European values in the digital sphere. With EU action through the terror content file, regulators can help to reduce the risk of radicalization of citizens and martyrdom of ruthless murderers.
CEP Executive Director David Ibsen issued the following statement:
“The Counter Extremism Project welcomes today’s decision in the European Parliament to vote in favour of regulation preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online. CEP has long advocated for lawmakers at the European level to take the online sphere into account in the fight against terrorism.
“This regulation places the onus on service providers to offer a safe environment for their users, with tangible punishments for those who fail to comply with these EU-wide standards. In financial punishment for the removal of harmful terrorist propaganda, these service providers can be held accountable for their role in the spread of terror content. Such regulation represents a positive start in the fight against digital radicalisation, propaganda, and recruitment, which have long played havoc with Europe’s digital users.”