The Christchurch Call is a set of commitments supported by tech companies (including many GIFCT members) and over 50 governments to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Call was established by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron on 15 May 2019, two months to the day after 51 people were killed and 50 injured by a terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attack was livestreamed, went viral and remains available on the web despite the measures taken to remove it. The Call is a collaborative and multistakeholder initiative. It rests on the conviction that a free, open and secure internet offers extraordinary benefits to society. Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and transparency is essential. Supporters commit to undertake a range of measures (individually and collaboratively), such as: developing tools to prevent the downloading of terrorist and violent extremist material; combatting the causes of violent extremism; improving transparency in the detection and removal of content; and ensuring that the algorithms designed and used by online platforms do not direct users towards violent extremist content. The Christchurch Call community has an ongoing, active program of work underway to achieve these objectives. It works closely with a range of organizations, including GIFCT.
