Internet giants are turning a blind eye to paedophiles and terrorists, says top cop

A SENIOR cop says internet giants are ignoring crimes including child abuse and terrorism.

Mike Barton called on them to reinvest their “eye-watering profits” to help police.

PA:Press Association

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Mike Barton says technology exists to block indecent images

Durham’s chief constable said yesterday the web was like the Wild West, with firms abdicating responsibility by claiming to merely host criminal material.

YouTube allowed terror groups such as IS to earn money from ads placed on its videos, he said.

Twitter and Facebook were regularly used to “intimidate, harass and stalk”.

Mr Barton, crime operations head for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, insisted the technology existed to block indecent images.

He pointed out that China barred the search term “empty chair” after Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo could not collect his award.

Mr Barton asked: “If China can prevent people searching for the term ‘empty chair’ why is it so difficult to get rid of child pornography from the internet?

Getty Images

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Social media is used to ‘intimidate, harass and stalk,’ Mr Barton said

“I’m not saying you can stop all crime on the internet. I’m saying you can do more to stop it.”

The NSPCC urged the Government to bring in a regulator to hold web firms to account.

YouTube said it was already acting.

Twitter and Facebook did not comment.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4089004/internet-giants-are-turning-a-blind-eye-to-paedophiles-and-terrorists-says-top-cop/