Terrorist and violent extremist operated websites (TOWs) pose one of the most significant threats to global efforts in tackling terrorist use of the internet. These domains, which exist on the surface web and are often easily discoverable through search engines, provide terrorists with stable and accessible online spaces to conduct their activities in pursuit of their strategic objectives. The discoverability of TOWs severely undermines significant improvements made across the tech industry in disrupting terrorist propaganda campaigns and activities online, as well as global efforts to counter terrorist use of the internet more broadly.

Tech Against Terrorism will draw on its expertise of monitoring and disrupting TOWs to present an analysis of this threat, with a focus on identified domains linked to registrars in the APAC region. The presentation will also consider the challenges in coordinating a response to TOWs, in particular, unclear guidelines and regulatory frameworks – including those in the APAC region – as to who should lead, request, and coordinate action against TOWs. The presentation will seek to provide a way forward by proposing a much-needed framework for engagement with internet infrastructure service providers to mitigate terrorist abuse, based on human rights and the rule of law