News and Media

Press Releases

16
Jan
Press Release

Meeting Focuses on Legislation to Prevent Extremist Content Online

CEP organized a high-level meeting on January 15 in Strasbourg, France, with Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King and Members of the European Parliament to discuss the pending legislative initiative designed to prevent the dissemination of terrorist content online. The participation of Commissioner Sir Julian King, file rapporteur Daniel Dalton MEP, and other MEPs is an important signal that the political will is there to ensure legislation passes in this mandate.
7
Jan
Press Release

Arrest May Shed Light on Charlie Hebdo, Supermarket Killings

The arrest of Peter Cherif, one of Frances most-wanted terrorist suspects, may shed light on the planning of the deadly attacks at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and at a kosher supermarket four years ago. Cherif, a member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was arrested in December in Djibouti. He had been on the run since 2011 when he escaped French custody in Syria. French authorities say Cherif was known to be good friends with brothers Chérif and Saïd Kouachi , who stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo on January 7, 2015, eventually killing 12 people.
12
Dec
Press Release

ICYMI: CEP Report on the European Far-Right Reveals Some Groups Eschew Violence to Broaden Appeal

More than 70 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany, ethno-nationalist and white supremacist movements in Europe continue to thrive. They include far-right political parties, neo-Nazi movements, and apolitical protest groups. In its new report, European Ethno-Nationalists and White Supremacy Groups , CEP found that some groups openly espouse violent white supremacy, while others have propagated their radical stances under the guise of populism.
11
Dec
Press Release

CEP Statement on Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s Testimony Before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee

CEP Executive Director David Ibsen released a statement regarding the testimony of Google CEO Sundar Pichai before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee today that read in part: “What we heard today was more of the same. More misdirection. More excuses. More empty promises. And more evidence that Google is completely dismissive about tackling some of the most pervasive and serious threats facing the modern world – ranging from privacy concerns, to advertising fraud schemes, to hostile state actors, to the misuse of its platforms for extremists to spread hate and terrorist propaganda."
6
Dec
Press Release

New Report Details Pending Crisis Regarding the Rehabilitation of America’s Convicted Islamists

The United States is facing a pending, pressing counterterrorism challenge as dozens of individuals with terrorism-related convictions are set to be released from prison, Parallel Networks Co-Founders Mitch Silber and Jesse Morton found in their newly issued report, “When Terrorists Come Home: The Need for Rehabilitating and Reintegrating America’s Convicted Jihadists,” sponsored by the Counter Extremism Project.
3
Dec
Press Release

Extremist Content Piles up on YouTube; Platform Struggles to Keep Pace

YouTube is not effectively curbing extremist content, according to various experts and policymakers interviewed by NPR ’s Tim Mak last week. YouTube’s algorithms are designed to keep viewers hooked and suggest progressively more extreme videos to maintain long periods of viewing. Marc Ginsberg, an adviser to CEP , explained that YouTube is “insensitive, full of hubris, unwilling to be held responsible to the public for its failures to adopt necessary policies and procedures to remove extremist content.”
29
Nov
Press Release

Zuckerberg’s 99% Myth Exposed: Drip, Drip, Drip as Facebook's Problems Continue

On Tuesday, Facebook Vice President for Policy Solutions Richard Allan was grilled before a hearing comprised of nine countries : Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Ireland, Latvia, Singapore, France, Belgium and Britain. Described as a “ first-of-its-kind gathering ,” the international group of lawmakers had heavily pressed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to attend and answer for Facebook’s role in data privacy breaches, as well as the pervasiveness of fake news and propaganda spread on its platform.
27
Nov
Press Release

ICYMI: New Report on Germany’s NetzDG Online Hate Speech Law Shows No Threat of Over-Blocking

CEP, in partnership with the Centre for European Policy Studies ( CEPS ), launched a joint report analyzing the impact of Germany’s Network Enforcement Act ( NetzDG ). In the report, Germany’s NetzDG: A key test for combatting online hate , researchers found that concerns that NetzDG would lead to censorship were unfounded. CEP Executive Director David Ibsen also co-authored an opinion piece with CEPS Associate Senior Research Fellow William Echikson in conjunction with the study.
20
Nov
Press Release

THEY SAID IT!

Members of Congress have weighed in on the numerous problems that have recently plagued social media companies. In this short compilation of quotes, Senators and House members agree that the era of self-regulation for tech companies should be brought to an end.
20
Nov
Press Release

Online Hate Speech Incites Real World Violence

Major tech giants are facing mounting pressure from law enforcement officials to provide information and monitor online terror activity. The Sydney Morning Herald reported last week that Lynne Owens, the director-general of Britain’s National Crime Agency, is advocating for joint efforts by intelligence-shared allies – including the United States – to push major tech companies for help in decrypting messages sent by alleged terrorists. Owens argued that major tech companies, especially those based in the United States, have been slow to act on countering encryption – a tool commonly used by crime gangs and terrorists. Owens stated the “Five Eyes,” an intelligence-sharing group – made up of Australia, Britain, the U.S., Canada and New Zealand, have the unique opportunity to “speak loudly with one voice.”