Engagement by the private sector is crucial in responding to use of the Internet and information and communications technology (ICT) for terrorist purposes, according to experts attending an international expert workshop. Organized in Kuala Lumpur on 3 November 2016, the workshop followed two similar events held in Zurich and Silicon Valley.
Bringing together experts from the private sector, civil society, and academia, the workshop was facilitated by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and organized by the ICT4Peace Foundation, with the assistance of the International Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.
The aim of the series of workshops was to deepen understanding of the industry’s response to terrorists’ use of such tools, identify progress and challenges, and facilitate dialogue on emerging issues. Workshop participants discussed their respective approaches; emerging practices, norms, and principles; and trends in public-private partnerships.
In December 2016, ICT4Peace and CTED will publish a report on the outcome of this phase of the project, based on discussions with workshop participants. The project advisory group also considered a number of proposals and recommendations on sharing knowledge, exchanging good practices, and strengthening capacities, with a view to taking the project into a second phase.
The workshop series was supported by the Governments of Spain and Switzerland, as well as Facebook, Microsoft, and Kaspersky Labs.