Social media summit hosted by NZ and France gets thumbs up from Facebook

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Facebook has confirmed it will send 'one of its top executives' to a summit in Paris next month hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The summit on May 15 will attempt to bring world leaders and technology companies together in the wake of the March 15 terrorist attacks in Christchurch to ratify an agreement designed to stop social media platforms being used to promote terrorism and violent extremism.

A spokesman for Ardern said Google, Microsoft and Twitter had also agreed to be represented at the summit.

Google and Microsoft were unable to immediately confirm who they would send when contacted on Wednesday.

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Facebook spokesman Ben McConaghy said it welcomed the opportunity to participate.

It would send one of its top executives and was evaluating 'who is best placed given the type of conversation that is going to be had', he said.

'We share the commitment of world leaders to keep people safe and look forward to collaborating with government, industry and safety experts on a clear framework of rules to help achieve this.

'We're evaluating how we can best support this effort and who among top Facebook executives will attend.'

Ardern said she had been in talks with Macron for a few weeks following the Christchurch attacks and that she had also spoken to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, who had shared his condolences on the attacks.

Zuckerberg said two weeks after the Christchurch attack that internet companies needed to be accountable for enforcing standards on harmful content and needed to take a more 'standardised approach'.

The aim of the summit is for world leaders and chief executives of tech companies to agree to a pledge called the 'Christchurch Call', to address terrorist and violent extremist online content.

Ardern said she didn't think 'anyone would argue the terrorist on March 15 had a right to live stream the murder of 50 people'.

'In the wake of the March 15 attacks New Zealanders united in common purpose to ensure such attacks never occur again,' Ardern said.

'That is what this call is very specifically focused on,' she said.

Ardern's spokesman said it was expected other world leaders would attend, but he could not say yet who they would be.

'We are working on a core group of people. We do anticipate there will be other leaders there.

'We have made it clear we would expect to see attendance at the highest level from most companies.'

Ardern said she had been in talks with Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft, including with some of their CEOs, and said their response had been 'really positive'.

Ardern had been in talks with French President Emmanuel Macron for a few weeks following the Christchurch attacks (file photo).

'No tech company, just as no government, wishes to see violent extremism and terrorism online. We have a starting point of unity.'

The way in which social media was used to disseminate footage of the Christchurch attack was unprecedented, she said.

'It was horrific and I don't think anyone would argue, not anyone from tech companies or government, that that is the way online platforms should be used.

The plan was to build 'unity around this issue' while maintaining the principles of a 'free, open and secure internet', she said.

'This isn't about freedom of expression. This is about preventing violent extremism and terrorism online.'

That was a global issue that required a global response, she said.

'New Zealand is looking to play a leadership role here because what happened on March 15 in New Zealand was unprecedented in the way that it used the internet. With that comes a responsibility to try to make change.'

The meeting will be held alongside the Tech for Humanity meeting of G7 Digital Ministers, of which France is the chair, and France's separate Tech for Good summit, both on May 15.

Ardern will also meet with civil society leaders on May 14 to discuss the Christchurch Call.

It is expected that the summit will result in a signed agreement, but the details of what it will contain have not yet been finalised.

It would not amount to a 'draft set of regulations' that social media companies would need to follow, she said, but could address 'the day-to-day practices that we see online.'

Macron's role within the G7 already had a focus on the topic, Ardern said.

She acknowledged that achieving practical change would not be easy.

'It is difficult no doubt, that's why I think if we can build as broad an alliance we have a greater chance of success.

'I absolutely don't question it is incredibly difficult, but that is not a reason to step back and not try,' she said.