US FCC says it cannot just shut down Daesh affiliates’ websites

The United States head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says the country cannot risk closing websites that promote the ideology of Takfiri terrorists on the internet.

The Hill said in a report Tuesday that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler made the comments in response to a question by a US lawmaker on Friday.

“Isn’t there something we can do under existing law to shut those Internet sites down?” asked Representative Joe Barton (R-Texas). “And I know they pop up like weeds, but once they do pop up, shut them down and turn the Internet addresses over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies to try and track them down.”

Wheeler said in response that such a move would be a “challenge” to the commission that cannot be simply underestimated.

“We cannot underestimate the challenge,” said the FCC chairman. “I’m not sure our authority extends to [shut down the websites], but I do think there are specific things we can do.”

He also made similar remarks to Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), noting that the FCC does not have the authority to track social media accounts.
[more…]