Two months after the Christchurch terror attacks, the world's biggest technology companies have jointly pledged to tackle violent and terror online content. Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Microsoft have signed the Christchurch Call to Action, which is being spearheaded by New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern. India and neighbouring Indonesia are also signatories to the pledge. By signing the non-binding pledge "Christchurch Call", companies have agreed to improve their respective content moderation policies, make it easier for users to report terrorist content, check live-streaming better, and to share more information on content taken down. Meanwhile governments - including G7 countries and India - have agreed to limit terrorist content by appropriate prohibitive legislation, consistent with "principles of a free, open and secure internet" and with "international human rights law and freedom of expression". The Christchurch mosque shooting in New Zealand took place two months ago, leaving 51 Muslim worshippers dead. A live video of the shooting streamed on online platforms for hours before it was taken down. The spread of the stream, along with the shooter's statement justifying the shooting, put global technology companies under government scrutiny for their role in the spread of terrorist and violent content. US not a signatory, citing need for free speech, but supports "overall goal": It's worth noting that the US government said it supports the Christchurch Call's aims but is not a signatory to the pledge. The White House said it was "not in a position to join" the pledge, citing the need…
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