A coalition for combating online extremism Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) is facing internal turmoil over the role of Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on its board.
Big concerns have surfaced that X’s involvement is undermining the organisation’s work, especially as the platform has become increasingly associated with the spread of content by proscribed terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
As per a The Sunday Times report, Community Security Trust (CST), a charity for combating extremism and antisemitism, found that X is now the most accessible platform for finding propaganda videos from these groups. CST researchers apparently were able to locate such content within just ten minutes of searching on X.
The GIFCT, which was established in 2017 under the pressure of US and European governments to curb the spread of online extremism, is reportedly struggling with X’s current trajectory.
The forum’s independent advisory committee mentioned growing concerns in its 2023 annual report, pointing to a “significant reduction in online trust and safety capabilities” and a perceived deprioritisation of the moderation of extremist content on certain platforms, with particular reference to X.
Since taking control of the platform, Musk has implemented a series of controversial changes, including reinstating banned extremists, allowing users to pay for verification, and hugely downsizing the content moderation team. Such moves have been a part of Musk’s broader vision to transform X into a “free speech” platform but have ignited fears that the platform is now failing to adequately address the spread of extremist material.
Adding to the controversy, X, which is a founding member of the GIFCT, has reportedly fallen short in making its full financial contributions to the organisation, further complicating its relationship with the counter-terrorism forum.
(Inputs from Reuters)
