G20 Reaches Agreement Against Terrorism, Appears To Target Encryption

At the G20 meeting in Hamburg today, the German hosts chose a retreat over the fight against terrorism as a warm-up, before turning to the controversial topics of free trade and climate change. Governments were very much in agreement when it comes to one thing: Internet platform providers must do more to fight radicalization and the use of the internet by terrorists.

There are already initiatives, acknowledged Chancellor Angela Merkel said after the first day of deliberations, but the takedowns “just have to be faster” to prevent such content from being spread. All heads of governments had committed to talk to platform providers about this, Merkel said in the press conference.

The published G20 statement reads: “Appropriate filtering, detecting and removing of content that incites terrorist acts is crucial in this respect. We encourage industry to continue investing in technology and human capital to aid in the detection as well as swift and permanent removal of terrorist content.”

Another set of issues, Merkel reported, are messenger services. The published statement sounds clandestine, saying: “In line with the expectations of our peoples we also encourage collaboration with industry to provide lawful and non-arbitrary access to available information where access is necessary for the protection of national security against terrorist threats.” But it is clear that the targed is encryption. They have to be able to understand, where there is reasonable suspicion, the content of terrorist communication, Merkel explained.

Other steps agreed in the joint fight against terrorism include cooperation under the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Financial Action Task Force, further improvement of information between intelligence, law enforcement and judicial authorities and the exchange of best practices with regard to de-radicalization best practices.

One concern to be tackled, according to Merkel, is the identification of ever smaller amounts of funding for low-cost attacks. Private sector institutions have to strengthen their efforts to identify and tackle terrorism financing.” Border agencies are requested “to strengthen cooperation to detect travel for terrorist purposes, including by identifying priority transit and destination countries of terrorists,” according to the statement. With regard to the second and third round of deliberations today, regarding the future of trade and climate change, Merkel said there was still work ahead to get to difficult compromises. The sherpas would work through the night, she said.

On trade, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, in an earlier press statement, warned that the EU is prepared to take appropriate measures against potential tariffs considered by countries against EU imports, referring to announcements by President Donald Trump to impose duties on steel imports.

During the G20 round on climate change, Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin had their bilateral meeting, together with their foreign ministers. It is already clear that Trump will confirm the US‘s withdrawal from the Paris accord. Also still under negotiation is how much money will be spent on the new investment program for Africa. The two did announce an agreement for a ceasefire in Syria, according to reports.

Image Credits: G20, G20