Theresa May demands web giants do more to tackle extremism online
THERESA May has demanded that web giants must do more to tackle extremism on the web.
Prime Minister Theresa May has demanded that web giants do more to tackle online extremism
The prime minister's intervention came after she discussed defence and security with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and concerns about defeated Islamic State fighters coming back to the UK and Saudi from Syria and Iraq.
A Downing Street official confirmed that radicalisation on the web and controlling access was discussed.
Concerns have been raised about material on Google owned YouTube showing extremists how to attack in the wake of the atrocity in Westminster last month.
Her intervention came after she discussed defence and security with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
Speaking to journalists, Mrs May said: “The government has already spent quite a lot of time talking with the companies about what they can do and what we think they should be doing.
I think it’s very important that we do see action from the companies
"They have made some progress. Obviously we’ve had – there’s a significant number of pieces of material taken down from the internet through the counterterrorism internet referral unit, something like a quarter of a million pieces since 2010 now.
"We continue to talk to the companies. The Home Secretary met them last week.
Expert: Extremism is not going to go away anytime soon
Mrs May said companies have 'made some progress' but that there is more they could do
"We think that there is more that they could and should be doing and we will be continuing to encourage them to do more.
"I think it’s very important that we do see action from the companies.
"We will continue to press them to make sure, because as we know, material on the internet can have an impact when it is seen by other people.”