Terrorists ‘weaponising the internet’: Morrison’s UN warning

In his first address to the UN, Scott Morrison says extremists can’t be given a ‘free pass’ to radicalise the virtual world.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP

Australia has told a United Nations summit on terror that extremists are “weaponising the internet” and that the use of video streaming during the Christchurch massacre should never be allowed to happen again.

At the UN meeting in New York on terrorism Scott Morrison said the internet can no longer be a safe haven for terrorists or violent extremists and there was an expectation that there should be no difference between the virtual world and physical world.

“We can’t allow a free leave pass for those weaponising the virtual world,” the Prime Minister said.

“Australia is working with industry to remove violent content from online platforms,” he said.

As a signatory of the New Zealand Christchurch Call to Action, formed at the G20 meeting to prevent exploitation of the internet for terrorism and violent extremism, Mr Morrison called for a global industry benchmark to address “abhorrent content online and help strengthen public trust in the digital economy”.

“Industry built this digital world and we have to work closely with them to ensure that we can deal with the technology that can help protect us from this digital world as well,” he said.

“Australia stands with all those seeking to restore public trust in the digital world.

“We will be watching closely. As we have already demonstrated, the government will move to regulate where industry falls short.”

The address to the UN committee on terrorism was Mr Morrison’s first contribution to the UN General Assembly meeting in New York this week and he earlier defended his decision not to attend the climate change summit on Monday but rather visit Chicago.

Mr Morrison said his leaders’ contribution on Wednesday would focus on environmental challenges which were not just about climate change.