In Europe, it is defined what is to be understood by online terrorist content.
This may involve text, images, sound recordings or videos, including direct broadcasts of terrorist offences, resulting in the risk of more such crimes being committed.
Examples:
- a message on a social network calling for an attack on a public place,
- a video glorifying attacks,
- a tutorial on how to make explosives to commit a terrorist offence,
- a message encouraging people to join a terrorist organisation, etc.
What is not included?
Content disseminated for educational, journalistic, artistic or research purposes, as well as during public debates, is not considered as terrorist content provided that it is not used to promote or facilitate terrorism.
How can you report online terrorist content?
If you see terrorist content online and want to report it, you can:
- report it to the hosting service provider itself (for instance a social media platform or a cloud storage service). The provider has to examine your report and give a concrete answer;
- lodge a complaint with the competent authorities, such as the police.
If a hosting service provider does not comply with the obligation to carry out a verification and give a concrete answer following your notification, you can file a complaint with the BIPT.
The BIPT is not competent to detect or prosecute terrorist content.
The complaint should concern a lack of due diligence by the hosting service provider in handling this complaint, such as the failure to respond to a notice of terrorist content.