New US law could ask Twitter and Facebook to report 'terrorist activity'

Politicians in the US have put forward a bill that would force technology companies to report any apparent terrorist activity they find.

It's particularly aimed at social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The suggestion is based on the Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act.

A subsection requires service providers to report potential child pornography when they're aware of it.

The new suggestion comes less than a week after 14 people were killed in a shooting in San Bernardino, California.

It's thought Tashfeen Malik wrote a Facebook message in support of a so-called Islamic State leader

It's believed the attackers, Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik, had been radicalised. There are reports Malik had posted a Facebook message in support of so-called Islamic State.

"If companies become aware of terrorist activity such as attack planning, recruitment or distribution of terrorist material, they must report that information to law enforcement," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has put the bill forward.

The statement made it clear companies would not have to "monitor customers or undertake any additional action" but would simply be responsible for reporting any suspicious activity they noticed or were made aware of.

Feinstein tweeted: "The bill does not criminalise free speech. It requires warning of potential terrorist behaviour.

"We're in a new age where terrorist groups like ISIL are using social media to reinvent how they recruit and plot attacks.

"That information can be the key to identifying and stopping terrorist recruitment or a terrorist attack."

However, there are concerns that this idea could do more harm than good.

One software company called SIIA claims it will lead to more government surveillance.

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