India Signs Christchurch Call to Action

India has decided to sign an international call initiated by the governments of France and New Zealand along with top social media companies to eliminate the violent and terrorist content online.

Christchurch Call to Action

• Christchurch Call to Action was initiated after the Christchurch attacks.
• Christchurch Call to Action was signed and adopted with participation from 26 nations, including France, New Zealand, European Commission, Ireland, Norway, Senegal, Canada, Jordan, UK, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden and India.
• The US has declined to sign the call to action amid free speech concerns.
• The call to action is supported by social media companies and IT enterprises which include Microsoft, Qwant, Daily Motion, Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Amazon.
• The call to action outlines collective and voluntary commitments from Governments and online service providers to address the issue of terrorist and violent extremist content online and to prevent the abuse of the internet as occurred in and after the Christchurch attacks.
• It also emphasizes the actions to be consistent with principles of free, open and secure internet, without compromising human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression.
• It also calls to recognise the internet’s ability to act as a force for good, including by promoting innovation and economic development and fostering inclusive societies.
• It stresses the need to ensure that it does not impinge upon the rights of free speech of citizens of any country.

The signatories have “affirmed” their willingness to continue to work together, in existing forums and relevant organizations, institutions, mechanisms and processes to assist one another and to build momentum and widen support for the Call.