Transparency reporting for smaller platforms

Tech Against Terrorism

Transparency reporting for smaller platforms

Our solution: supporting smaller tech companies in building sustainable process

Before smaller platforms consider transparency reporting they first need to have the resources and tools to develop their own content moderation policies and enforcement mechanisms.

At Tech Against Terrorism, we have worked with the tech sector since 2017 to support them in all steps of the process of implementing mechanisms to counter terrorist use of their platforms, from drafting robust Terms of Service and/or content standards to practical content moderation and to compiling transparency reports.

As part of our Mentorship programme for smaller companies – carried out on behalf of Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) membership – we work with companies to help them meet the GIFCT membership criteria. This programme includes supporting smaller companies in producing their first ever transparency report or improving upon existing reporting. In the past year, we have provided specialised mentorship to 12 smaller companies.

Further, transparency reporting is a core part of our workshop syllabus and over 120 platforms have participated in our transparency report training. All of this work is in accordance with international human rights principles and the Tech Against Terrorism Pledge, which is based in international norms and laws.

Recommendations 

To facilitate content moderation and transparency reporting for smaller companies, we recommend using the UN Security Council Consolidated List as a baseline for groups that should be considered terrorist. Although this list is not perfect (there are no far-right terrorist groups, for example) it does create a common baseline that is based on international consensus. To facilitate consensus around terrorist content, logos of groups designated in the UNSC list should be tied to the sanctions scheme, meaning that content carrying designated group logos is considered terrorist content. Such a measure would facilitate automated solutions aimed at detecting terrorist content for smaller companies.

Recommendations for governments

• Increase transparency reporting on government practices, including internet referral unit requests, to counter terrorist use of the internet
• Facilitate support to the wider tech sector, in particular smaller tech companies, for generating transparency reporting to allow for increased insights into PTUI
• Balance expectations about tech company transparency reporting, supporting meaningful transparency whilst accounting for pragmatic considerations, ideally segmenting expectations according to company size and capacity
• Encourage coordinated efforts around smaller company transparency and facilitate automated reporting via the Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP)

Recommendations for tech companies

• Larger tech companies, including the GIFCT, should – to the extent it is legally possible – strive to provide clarity on key metrics. These include providing reasons behind government takedown requests, data on government removal requests based on company Terms of Service (ToS), more detailed information on Terms of Service and/or Community Guidelines enforcement, and metrics on user appeals for redress
• Smaller tech companies should strive to produce transparency reports in line with their practical capacity, for example based on the draft guidelines shared below, and in collaboration with Tech Against Terrorism
• All tech companies should consider (in accordance with their practical capacity) accompanying their Terms of Service with relevant definitions, law enforcement guidelines, as well as details of their content moderation policies and decision-making processes. Tech Against Terrorism can support companies in this process

If you are a tech company who wants to learn more about our on transparency and have access to some of our resources, please get in touch on contact@techagainstterrorism.org