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Victim‑led network launches guidance urging platforms to build a safer internet for victims of terrorism
Summary
VOTAN launched 'Building a Safer Internet for Victims of Terrorism,' urging platforms to adopt priority reporting channels, safety‑by‑design around anniversaries, and a 'golden hour' crisis protocol to limit viral harms.
The Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VOTAN) launched a victim‑led briefing paper titled "Building a Safer Internet for Victims of Terrorism," urging technology companies and governments to adopt trauma‑informed design and new operational protocols.
Panelist Mun Salama summarized three core recommendations from the briefing: priority reporting channels that route verified victims' reports to trained human moderators; safety‑by‑design measures that increase detection sensitivity around anniversaries and provide user controls; and a "golden hour" protocol to flood online spaces with verified information in the first minutes after an attack.
"When platforms profit off rage bait and controversy, they are directly monetizing the outrage that extremists rely on," Mun said, and called for platform changes to reduce amplification of graphic or manipulative material. VOTAN also highlighted that the network now connects over 120 victims and victims associations across 40 countries, offering lived experience to inform platform policies.
Panelists and UNOCT welcomed the briefing and urged partnerships with industry to operationalize the recommendations ahead of anniversaries and future crises.
