Bitly Announces Partnership with Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism

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Oct 10, 2024, 09:00 ET

Company joins forces with global technology leaders to combat the exploitation of digital platforms and strengthen the safety of its Connections Platform.

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bitly Inc., the world's leading Connections Platform, announced today a new strategic partnership with the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), an NGO founded by technology leaders including Meta (formerly Facebook), Microsoft, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, to prevent terrorists and violent extremists from exploiting digital platforms. By partnering with GIFCT members, Bitly will share its expertise, leverage technical solutions, and help to advance research while further strengthening its already robust Trust and Safety program.

Bitly generates millions of links and QR Codes daily, driving billions of clicks and scans each month. Given its broad reach, the company has spent decades prioritizing the safety and security of its platform in a constantly shifting threat landscape. Aligned with GIFCT on the core principle of protecting human rights, Bitly's trusted safety protocols will help further GIFCT's community efforts to make the Internet a safer place.

"We are excited to welcome Bitly to the GIFCT community, expanding our coalition from four to now over 30 companies," said Naureen Chowdhury Fink, Executive Director, GIFCT. "As the threat from violent extremism and terrorism is ever-changing, Bitly's unique expertise and trusted reputation in the market will strengthen our collective efforts to develop and deliver solutions for safer online experiences for everyone."

To support its trust and safety mission, Bitly developed a three-part approach to help users engage confidently with its Connections Platform. Those three pieces include a focus on safety, key partnerships, and support. Partnerships, a cornerstone of the company's trust and safety program, enable the company to stay ahead of evolving threats by adopting best practices and collaborating with the community to help inform future policies and strategies, reinforcing the integrity of its platform.

"We believe that trust is the foundation of meaningful connections and is a critical factor in selecting the right partners to help advance our mission," said Ben Kleiman, Senior Director, Trust and Safety, Bitly. "Joining GIFCT offers our team an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with top technology leaders, helping to guide and reinforce the integrity of our Connections Platform ensuring safer connections for all of our users."

For more information about Bitly's trust and safety initiatives, visit the Bitly Trust Center here.

About Bitly:

Bitly is the world's leading Connections Platform, providing a way for brands and businesses to build more meaningful connections with their audiences both online and offline. As a leading global SaaS company, Bitly empowers millions of monthly active users and hundreds of thousands of customers globally to use Bitly Links, Bitly Codes, Bitly Pages, and Bitly Analytics as a trusted way to engage their audience and deliver critical notifications, information, and experiences. For more on Bitly, visit https://bitly.com/.

About GIFCT: The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism is an independent nonprofit organization that works with over thirty tech member companies to foster collaboration and information-sharing to counter terrorist and violent extremist activity online. Through tools like the hash-sharing database, incident response framework, and investment in global expertise, GIFCT supports member companies to identify and act upon harmful content, ensuring safer online environments. Learn more: https://gifct.org

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Bitly Inc.