17 March 2022
To read the report, click here.
We are delighted to announce the publication of our first Transparency Report for the Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP). The TCAP is a tool developed by Tech Against Terrorism which identifies, verifies, and alerts terrorist content to tech platforms for removal. The platform has been funded by Public Safety Canada.
The TCAP is developed using a transparency-by-design approach. This is the first TCAP transparency report, which is one of several initiatives Tech Against Terrorism has taken in compliance with our core principles. The report provides a detailed breakdown of the core metrics for the report period between 1 December 2020 and 30 November 2021, and of key TCAP policies and processes.
On the occasion of the publication of the first TCAP transparency report, Tech Against Terrorism Founder and Director Adam Hadley said:
“This report once again confirms that terrorist groups predominantly exploit a wide range of smaller platforms, but it also shows that tech platforms will do the right thing and remove terrorist material if provided with appropriate support. This further proves that our focus has to be on providing support mechanisms to platforms to ensure positive impact.”
“The report findings showcase the urgent need for governments to improve designation of far-right terrorist groups. Unfortunately a tool like TCAP – and many tech platforms – will not be able to scale its removal of far-right terrorist content unless governments lead the way in providing legal clarity around far-right terrorism, such as via designation mechanisms.”
Anne Craanen, Senior Research Analyst and TCAP Policy Lead, said:
“Transparency is a key principle at Tech Against Terrorism, and by publishing this report we hope to raise the bar in terms of providing transparency in the online counterterrorism sector. Not only does this report provide valuable insights into terrorist online propaganda dissemination techniques, it also promotes trust and accountability. We encourage all tech companies, industry initiatives, and governments to be transparent about their online counterterrorism efforts.”
Summary of key findings in the report
The TCAP Transparency Report covers a wide range of data which the TCAP team have collected and analysed since the launch of TCAP. During this reporting period:
Terrorist Group | Alerts | % of total alerts | Inactive | % Offline | % Online |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Islamic State (IS) | 4364 | 40% | 3847 | 88% | 12% |
2. Al-Shabab | 2325 | 21% | 2313 | 99% | 1% |
3. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) | 2450 | 22% | 2404 | 98% | 2% |
Terrorist Group | Alerts | % of total alerts | Inactive | % Offline | % Online |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Christchrch attack perpetraor | 59 | 51% | 26 | 44% | 56% |
2. Atomwafen Division | 22 | 19% | 14 | 64% | 36% |
3. National Socialist Order (NSO) | 11 | 10% | 3 | 27% | 73% |
To read the report, click report below
Tech-Against-Terrorism-TCAP-Report-March-2022_v628 January 2022
To read the report, click here.
A new report from Tech Against Terrorism has found that global terrorist and violent extremist actors are running at least 198 websites on the surface web. In-depth analysis of 33 of the most prominent websites – run by actors such as Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Atomwaffen Division and the Taliban – confirms that these sites have 1.54 million monthly visitors, with the majority of visits coming from Algeria, Pakistan, United States, and the United Kingdom.
Adam Hadley, Founder and Director of Tech Against Terrorism, said:
“The fact that terrorists and violent extremists are able to operate hundreds of websites attracting millions of views with impunity is a failure on behalf of the global online counterterrorism sector. Terrorist operated websites is the key strategic threat with regards to terrorist use of the internet. It is clear that policymakers need to devote more political capital towards identifying practical and policy-oriented solutions to this challenge.”
Deeba Shadnia, OSINT Analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, said:
“Broad improvements in online moderation of terrorist content on mainstream social media has pushed terrorists and violent extremists onto smaller, more niche online spaces, and many terrorist actors have grown more reliant on website infrastructure. Without targeted action, websites provide terrorist actors with a stable and easily located platform that facilitates the dissemination and archiving of propaganda content, recruitment and internal communication.”
In 2021, Tech Against Terrorism has facilitated the removal of 16 terrorist operated websites.
Summary of key findings in the report
Tech Against Terrorism has located 198 websites operated by terrorists and violent extremists. These sites promote violent extremist ideologies such as Neo-Nazism, violent insurrectionary accelerationism, Salafi-Jihadism, and Incel ideology. Analysis of these sites found that:
To read the report, click report below
The-Threat-of-Terrorist-and-Violent-Extremist-Operated-Websites-Jan-2022Our latest open-source intelligence (OSINT) report covers key trends in terrorist and violent extremist use of the internet identified by Tech Against Terrorism’s OSINT team over the past six months. This report aims to highlight the shifts in terrorist behaviour and tactics online, and seeks to inform more comprehensive, cross-platform responses to countering terrorist exploitation of the internet. Most trends outlined in this report have arisen partly as a consequence of improved content moderation by tech platforms in recent years, alongside the continued resilience and adaptability of terrorist networks online.
Key trends covered in this report:
The Online Regulation Series Handbook provides an analysis of global online regulation, analysing over 60 legislations and regulatory proposals in 17 countries, and their implications for countering terrorist and violent extremist content.
The Handbook is based on analysis published throughout October and November 2020 for the first edition of our Online Regulation Series. All country analyses have been updated to reflect recent regulatory changes. For each country, we provide a summary of the regulatory framework and the key takeaways for tech platforms, as well as Tech Against Terrorism’s commentary.
Tech Against Terrorism The Online Regulation-Series |The-Handbook-2021At Tech Against Terrorism our mission is to support the tech industry tackling the terrorist exploitation of the internet. Please see below, a report that displays our efforts thus far from Phase 1 in 2016 to Phase 3 in 2019 and a hand-picked selection of academic research and related articles.
English
Tech Against Terrorism 2019 End of Year ReportEnglish
PhaseTwoReportOur Phase One research paper is available in several languages. Click here to download it.