Using social media to counter Al Qaeda, ISIL messaging

The White House plans to work closely with tech companies to counter groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIL) online, part of a new campaign unveiled to counter “violent extremist messaging.” Under the new initiatives, the US government will organize “technology camps” alongside social media companies, which will “work with governments, civil society and religious leaders to develop digital content that discredits violent extremist narratives and amplifies positive alternatives,” according to the White House. The US will also partner with the United Arab Emirates to create a “digital communications hub that will counter ISIL’s propaganda and recruitment efforts, both directly and through engagement with civil society, community, and religious leaders.”