Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Tuesday 20 February 2018
UK unveils new technology to fight extremist content online

By DANICA KIRKA lishers but as platforms for he said at a digital adver-
LONDON (AP) — The Brit- other people to share in- tising conference, accord-
ish government is unveiling formation, they have tra- ing to excerpts of a speech
new technology designed ditionally been cautious provided by Unilever. "They
to remove extremist ma- about taking down mate- don't care about good val-
terial from social media, rial. ue for advertisers. But they
amid mounting pressure on Amid growing pressure, do care when they see
companies like Facebook Facebook, Twitter, Google their brands being placed
and Twitter to do more to and its unit YouTube last next to ads funding terror,
remove such content from year created the Global or exploiting children."
their platforms. Internet Forum to Combat So far, though, the tech-
The software, developed Terrorism, which says it is nology needed to detect
by ASI Data Science with committed to developing and remove dangerous
funding from the govern- new content-detection posts hasn't kept up with
ment, was announced technology, helping small- the threat, experts say. Re-
Tuesday by Home Secre- er companies combat ex- moving such material still
tary Amber Rudd ahead of tremism and promoting requires judgment, and ar-
meetings with technology This is a Thursday March 23, 2017 file photo of Britain's Home "counter-speech," content tificial intelligence has not
executives and U.S. Secre- Secretary Amber Rudd speaks during a vigil in Trafalgar Square, meant to blunt the impact proved good enough to
tary of Homeland Security London. Associated Press of extremist material. determine the difference,
Kirstjen Nielsen this week in Unilever, a global consum- for example, between an
Silicon Valley. The program Governments and law en- of everything from child er products company and article about the so-called
will be shared with small- forcement agencies have pornography to so-called one of the world's largest Islamic State and posts
er companies that don't been pressing social media fake news. The importance advertisers, on Monday de- from the group itself.
have the resources to de- companies to do more to of the battle was under- manded results, saying it The software being un-
velop such technology, the prevent extremists from us- scored during the 2016 wouldn't advertise on plat- veiled Tuesday is aimed at
agency said. ing their sites to promote U.S. presidential election, forms that do not make a stopping the vast bulk of
"I hope this new technol- violence and hatred. British during which Russian en- positive contribution to so- material before it goes on-
ogy the Home Office has Prime Minister Theresa May tities sought to influence ciety. Its chief marketing of- line.
helped develop can sup- has called on internet com- to outcome by placing ficer, Keith Weed, said he's Marc Warner, CEO ASI Data
port others to go further panies to remove extrem- thousands of ads on social told Facebook, Google, Science, which helped de-
and faster," Rudd said be- ist propaganda from their media that reached some Twitter, Snap, and Ama- veloped the technology,
fore the meetings. "The pur- sites in less than two hours. 10 million people on Face- zon that Unilever wants to said the social media gi-
pose of these videos is to But extremist content is book alone. change the conversation. ants can't solve this prob-
incite violence in our com- only one type of objec- Social media companies "Consumers ... care about lem alone.
munities, recruit people to tionable content on the have struggled to respond. fraudulent practice, fake "The way to fight that is to
their cause, and attempt to internet, with governments Because the companies news, and Russians influ- cut the propaganda off at
spread fear in our society." struggling to stem the flow see themselves not as pub- encing the U.S. election," the source," he said. q
Facebook to verify ads with postcards after Russian meddling

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — agents who bought ads tion of Secretaries of State
Facebook will soon rely on to sway the U.S. presiden- in Washington on Saturday
centuries-old technology tial campaign, Facebook's that the company would
to try to prevent foreign global politics and govern- send postcards to potential
meddling in U.S. elections: ment outreach director, buyers of political ads to
the post office. Katie Harbath, told a meet- confirm they reside in the
Baffled in 2016 by Russian ing of the National Associa- U.S.

In this June 4, 2012 file photo, a girl looks at Facebook on her
computer in Palo Alto, Calif.
Associated Press

The recipient would then Robert Mueller charged 13
have to enter a code in Russians with interfering in
Facebook to continue buy- the presidential election.
ing the ad. The method Mueller's indictment de-
will first apply to ads that scribed how Russian agents
name candidates ahead stole social security num-
of the midterm elections in bers and other information
November, said Facebook from real Americans and
spokesman Andy Stone. used them to create bank
The plan was unveiled a and PayPal accounts in or-
day after special counsel der to buy online ads.q