Tech Companies 'Addressing Concerns' on Online Terrorism, Nielsen Testifies

Technology companies “are directly addressing our concerns” about terrorism activities occurring on social media networks, Department of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen told a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing Tuesday in prepared testimony. “While the internet itself is not the source of the problem, it is abused to promote radicalization, recruitment to violence, and to raise funds for terrorist organizations.” She's seen progress in talks with tech companies, including Facebook, Google, Twitter and YouTube, to develop ways to make “platforms less hospitable to terrorists.” Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, pushed Nielsen on how DHS would continue its work on public-private cybersecurity collaboration, specifically the agency’s lead role in combating the Wannacry attacks, which the White House in December publicly blamed North Korea for fomenting (see 1712190043). Nielsen’s hearing, which only tangentially touched on cyber and tech platform issues, came a day ahead of a scheduled Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing (see 1801090069) on “#IsBigTechDoingEnough?” to “combat the spread of extremist propaganda over the Internet.” Clint Watts, fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute, was added to the witness list.