Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has called on major social media companies to show how they are preventing the spread of extremist material. 

Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has issued legal notices to Google, Meta, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Reddit, telling them they are required to report on the measures they are implementing to shield users from such harmful material.

Social media and online platforms have played a role in facilitating radicalisation, highlighted by tragic events such as terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, as well as in Halle, Germany and a recent attack in Buffalo, New York.

Commissioner Inman Grant says she has ongoing concerns about the exploitation of technology by extremists, particularly the use of live-streaming, algorithms, and other features to disseminate violent material. 

She also raised alarms over the potential misuse of generative AI technologies by terrorists and violent extremists, noting that an Islamic State forum was reported comparing the attributes of Google's Gemini, ChatGPT, and Microsoft's Copilot.

Earlier this month, the UN-backed Tech against Terrorism reported that it had identified users of an Islamic State forum comparing the attributes of Google's Gemini, ChatGPT, and Microsoft's Copilot.

“We remain concerned about how extremists weaponise technology like live-streaming, algorithms and recommender systems and other features to promote or share this hugely harmful material,” Commissioner Inman Grant stated.

The issuance of these notices marks a proactive step under the Online Safety Act, aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability among tech companies in their fight against online terrorism and extremism. 

These companies, ranked by a recent OECD report for the prevalence of such content on their platforms, have 49 days to respond to the eSafety Commissioner's inquiries.

“It's no coincidence we have chosen these companies to send notices to as there is evidence that their services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists. We want to know why this is and what they are doing to tackle the issue,” Commissioner Inman Grant said.

“The tech companies that provide these services have a responsibility to ensure that these features and their services cannot be exploited to perpetrate such harm and that's why we are sending these notices to get a look under the hood at what they are and are not doing,”  the eSafety Commissioner said.