'It threatens our...': Anti-terror tech group concerned over content posted on Elon Musk's X by Hamas

Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), a tech industrycounter-terrorism organisation, has expressed concerns over content posted on Elon Musk's social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) by Hamas and is worried about the social media platform's membership on its board.

According to a report by The Sunday Times, on Monday (Aug 12), the GIFCT believedthat the group's credibility was undermined byX's membership and position on its board. X has not yet reacted to this development.

Microsoft, Facebook, and YouTube are part of the GIFCT and X is a founding member of the organisation. The GIFCT was created in 2017 under pressure from the United States (US) and European countries.

'The easiest social media platform to find Hamas videos'

Citing theCommunity Security Trust (CST), The Sunday Times report said that X was now the easiestsocial media platform to find Hamas videos. The report added that within 10 minutes,researchers were able to find X propaganda videos from UK government-proscribed terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Earlier, a statement in the GIFCT's independent advisory committee annual 2023 report had expressed concerns over online trust and safety directed at X.

The advisory body saidit had become "increasingly concerned by significant reductions in online trust and safety capabilities for certain platforms, and a perceived decrease in the priority of the issue, negatively impacting companies' ability to moderate extremist content online."

'Musk let banned extremists back on X'

The Sunday Times report also alleged thatMuskhad let banned extremists back on to X, allowed anyone to pay for a verification mark and sacked a large part of its content moderation team. The report added this was part of his strategy of turning X into a "free speech"platform.

These above developments come days afterVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro banned X from his country for 10 days amid afurore over the July 28 disputed presidential election. Maduro won the election, as per Venezuela's electoral authority.

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However, thedeclaration sparked widespread accusations of fraud (in the election) and protests which were promoted across social media.

Maduro andMuskhave frequently traded barbs over X, with the platform's owner comparing the Venezuelan president to a donkey, while Maduro has blamedMuskfor being a driving force behind protests and dissent following the election.

(With inputs from agencies)