MPs have called on brands to pull their advertising from large technology companies.
The call for the boycott follows a meeting of the Intelligence and Security Committee, who highlighted the platforms refusal to remove extremist content as a key indicator that they are not serious about tackling the “scandal” of online terrorist material.
The committee described the availability of such content as a 'disgrace', with Chairman Dominic Grieve further adding that it was a 'matter of scandal', and recommended 'pressure is put on the communications service providers [CSPs] by the business community following the excellent example of companies such as Unilever'.
ISBA Director General, Phil Smith said, “ISBA and our members have applied consistent pressure when it comes to the issue of unacceptable content and the inadvertent support for terrorist propaganda through advertising. We all have a role to play in tackling this issue. It is beyond doubt that brands take their responsibilities in this area seriously, with action being taken by some to remove their advertising entirely from some platforms when they feel their concerns are not being addressed. However, action in concert would not be legal and it is up to each advertiser to make their own decisions.
The major platforms have made significant progress in identifying and taking down terrorist content quickly through the use of AI, machine learning and human review. The recent proposals from Facebook for an independent content appeals board goes some way towards meeting ISBA’s calls for an independent oversight body, funded by the industry. ISBA believe such a body should set principles and codes, certify policies and processes, audit reporting and create a route for recourse. In essence, a self and co-regulatory system, based on today’s well-proven advertising regulation system in the UK.
This is not a problem confined to Google and Facebook. It impacts the smaller platform and publishers who reproduce terrorist material masquerading as news content. We are working with the Home Office and Home Secretary as part of his task force to address this issue and make the position of brands clear.”