Macron, Ardern to host Paris Summit to curb online extremism

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron plan to co-chair a meeting of global leaders and technology company executives next month as they aim to curb the promotion of violent extremism online.

“The meeting in Paris on May 15 will seek agreement on a pledge, entitled the Christchurch Call, to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content on social media platforms,” Ardern said in a statement Wednesday. The gathering comes two months after a gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.

“The attacks saw social media used in an unprecedented way as a tool to promote an act of terrorism and hate,” Ardern said. “We are asking for a show of leadership to ensure social media cannot be used again the way it was in the March 15 terrorist attack,” she said.