World Watch
United States Snubs New Zealand Initiative To Curb Online Extremism
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The United States has reportedly according media reports has declined to join a New-Zealand-led initiative aimed at encouraging tech companies and countries to curb extremism online. It was New Zealand Premier Jacinda Ardern who named the move Christchurch call.
Named after the New Zealand city where a deadly terrorist attack took place on May 15, the non-binding agreement ‘Christchurch Call’ has been signed by 18 leaders from around the globe, including British PM Theresa May and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, reported The Washington Post.
“While the United States is not currently in a position to join the endorsement, we continue to support the overall goals reflected in the call. We will continue to engage governments, industry and civil society to counter terrorist content on the internet,” White House said in a statement.
The statement cited freedom of expression and freedom of the press as reasons to not join the agreement.