Six Expert Advisers Quit Meta-Led Anti-Terrorism Group Over Independence Concerns

Six of the nine independent experts advising the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) have resigned, raising questions about the future of the group’s oversight role. The GIFCT is a coalition of major tech companies, led by Meta, aimed at stopping terrorist and violent extremist content online.

The advisers resigned after a proposal from Meta suggested major changes to the advisory committee. The plan would shift how new members are chosen, giving tech companies more control instead of letting current members elect them. It would also limit the committee’s ability to evaluate GIFCT’s performance and governance or make collective recommendations.

The experts said these changes would weaken the committee’s independence and effectiveness. In their resignation letter, they wrote that without the power to scrutinise or take a stand, the advisory body would become nothing more than “decoration and accountability theatre.”

All 17 members of the advisory panel also signed a letter opposing the proposed limits on their role. However, the GIFCT leadership says the changes are not final and are part of efforts to better involve civil society and governments.

GIFCT’s governance structure places Meta as chair of the operating board, with Microsoft and YouTube also serving as founding members. The advisory committee, mostly made up of civil society representatives, advises this board but does not have voting power.

The resignations come amid a wider political debate in the US about content moderation and censorship, with some advisers worried about growing political pressure. It’s not clear if government or intergovernmental members on the committee will also resign.

The GIFCT coordinates member companies’ efforts against harmful content using shared tools like a database of flagged material and incident response protocols. Though it has helped remove extremist content, critics say the group lacks transparency and strong independent oversight.

For now, the resignations highlight tensions between tech companies’ control of the group and calls for greater independence and accountability. How GIFCT responds could affect how online platforms handle extremist content in the future.