Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee holds special meeting on preventing exploitation of the Internet and social media

H.E. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Ambassador of Egypt to UN

Thursday, 01 December 2016 - 12:00am

Exploitation of the Internet and social media for terrorist purposes can only be defeated through sustained and comprehensive action involving the active participation and collaboration of Member States, international and regional organizations, civil society, and the private sector. This was a common theme expressed by of a number of participants in a special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, held at the United Nations in New York on 1 December 2016.

“We must work together to promote dialogue among all stakeholders in order to find effective ways to prevent the exploitation of information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes,” H.E. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations, said in his closing statement. Ambassador Aboulatta is Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council.

The meeting –?Preventing the exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICT) for terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms?– was held against the backdrop of the significant and growing threat posed to Member States by the exploitation of ICT, in particular the Internet and social media, for terrorist purposes. In a number of resolutions, the Security Council has recognized this threat and called upon Member States to take the measures needed to deliver an effective response. The formal meeting was preceded by technical sessions on the same theme organized by the Executive Directorate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTED) on 30 November and 1 December 2016.

Representatives of the private sector underscored their commitment to preventing the exploitation of ICT for terrorist purposes. Maryam Mujica, Public Policy Team Manager for Twitter, highlighted that the company “has suspended over 360,000 accounts for threatening or promoting terrorist acts” since mid-2015.

Participants in the special meeting and the accompanying technical sessions included Member States, international and regional organizations, United Nations entities, the private sector, academia, faith-based leaders, and civil society representatives. Having relevant actors from various sectors gathered in the same room provided an opportunity for dialogue and for a frank discussion about challenges and ways forward.