referrals, they should be transparent about, and accountable for, such referrals.
Other actions could include:
-
Facilitating understanding of practical interpretations for common definitions of
terrorist-related or terrorist-inspired content", or similar.
Directing resources to public-private pilot initiatives aimed at ensuring public safety
and security while also protecting the privacy of users. For instance, in the area of
surveillance, this could include testing the application of public health logic
surveillance models for the detection of at-risk factors or dangerous/risky uses of
the internet and ICT.
Where counter-narratives/ counter-messaging are concerned, public and private actors
should use the opportunity of S/PRST/6 - which tasks the CTC to develop a
‘comprehensive international framework’ - to ensure that said framework is also centred on
building trust, is anchored in international norms and standards, and developed with the
participation of those most affected by current trends.16
Concerning emerging threats relating to potential use by terrorists of the internet or
broader cyberspace for disruptive or destructive attacks against, for instance, critical
infrastructure, actions should be oriented to promoting awareness and understanding of
the policy work already underway by governments and experts regarding the protection of
critical infrastructure 17 or on the applicability of existing international law to ‘cyber
terrorism’,18 as well as other initiatives by the OSCE, the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC),
and through multi-stakeholder fora.
3.3 Strengthen coordination between different inter-governmental initiatives
Numerous inter-governmental organisations are embarking on initiatives aimed at
responding to online terrorist or violent extremist content and activity involving
collaboration with technology, social media and telecommunications companies. Some
form of informal coordination among these organisations and between them and
companies would help avoid overlap, and help ensure more effective use of resources on
all sides.
3.4 Strengthen the Links Between Offline Prevention Efforts and Online Content
Management and Counter-Narrative Efforts
The UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action on Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE)
strategy – which builds on the earlier UN GA Counter-Terrorism Strategy - provides a
strong basis upon which to strengthen these links. Moreover, the Action Plan and
subsequent report provide detailed guidance for addressing the connection between the
off-line and online worlds, notably through its three pillars which address drivers of violent
16
Threats to Interational Peace and Security Posed by Terrorist Acts. S/PRST/2016/6 of May 2016. Available at:
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/PRST/2016/6
17
See for example, the work of the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and
Telecommunications, which includes a number of recommendations relating to protection of critical infrastructure. The Group does not
focus on terrorism but rather, state use of ICT. National level efforts to protect critical infrastructure generally apply to protecting CI from
all nature of threats. See: https://www.un.org/disarmament/topics/informationsecurity/
18
Cybersecurity, Terrorism and International Law. Study Group Final Report. July 2016. Available at: http://www.ilahq.org/en/committees/study_groups.cfm/cid/1050
10
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents