The extremist speech "spell-checker"

In the wake of the Paris attacks, companies and governments have clashed over how to handle the terrorism threat. According to BBC's reporter Dave Lee, many tech firms, buoyed by the fallout from the Edward Snowden leaks, "have stood firm on encryption - with the likes of Apple and others making it near-impossible to access a locked smartphone without the password, a move that has frustrated some politicians". In Lee's opinion, Mr Schmidt's editorial "appears to be an attempt to ease the tensions and show a willingness from technology companies to help".

"As with all great advances in technology, expanded Web access has also brought with it some serious challenges, like threats to free speech, qualms about surveillance and fears of online terrorist activity," Mr Schmidt wrote. He insisted that censorship and invasions of privacy would not solve the situation.

"We should build tools to help de-escalate tensions on social media - sort of like spell-checkers, but for hate and harassment. We should target social accounts for terrorist groups and remove videos before they spread, or help those countering terrorist messages to find their voice. Extremists often use websites, social media, chat rooms, and other platforms to recruit future terrorists and call for attacks. Therefore, politicians are willing to work with host companies in order to prevent the spread of extremist speech.