Policy Observatory
Spotting terrorist behaviour online is harder than finding child abuse images
Thu 4 Dec 2014, 16:20
Why are we outraged by the suggestion that Facebook users’ messages should be screened for potential terrorist threats yet we accept that airline passengers are screened for terrorist threats before boarding a plane? What’s the difference between moving people or information around the world? This is the question raised by the UK parliament’s intelligence and security committee when it suggests Facebook and other internet platforms should “take responsibility” for detecting terrorist activity online.