The pledge to work together comes after a flurry of terror attacks in London and Paris, with the most recent one occurring at London Bridge earlier this month.
Many scientists and engineers whose work involves helping the planet handle the effects of climate change have been sidelined by United States President Donald Trump and his exclusionary worldview, but the French Republic and the young President Emmanuel Macron are ready to welcome them. Digital campaigners are concerned that this will lead to censorship.
Macron acknowledged the delicacy of balancing punitive measures with preservation of users' privacy and free speech, suggesting that European countries should consult with USA law enforcement agencies "to improve access to digital proofs that are used in our police and judicial investigations, wherever this data is located".
The two leaders are said to be exhausted of the foot-dragging by technology giants and plan to make them legally liable for extremist material on their sites if they fail to take it down swiftly.
After meeting May for the first time during the French presidential campaign last February, Macron had said the British prime minister should not expect any favours from the European Union during Brexit talks.He told reporters outside 10 Downing Street at the time that "an exit is an exit".
Social media companies like YouTube have been getting away with a unsafe and irresponsible approach to extremism for too long.
Russian Federation threatens to treat USA aircraft as targets in Syria
But Iran can do that through proxies, and Assad can do it knowing the USA won't advance west toward Damascus. Russian Federation and Iran both support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war.
"We are launching a joint UK/French campaign to ensure the internet can not be used as a safe space for terrorists and criminals, and that it can not be used to host the radicalising material that leads to so much harm", May said.
The two leaders agreed on an initiative to pressure tech companies to abide by their social responsibility of tackling online extremism and to create "a new legal liability for tech companies if they fail to remove unacceptable content".
Mrs May and Mr Macron will have a working dinner and then attend the England v France football friendly at the Stade de France, where there will be a minute's silence before kick-off to honour those killed in the Manchester and London attacks.
Mr Macron said it was not for him to say whether the decision should be questioned. In an emotional show of support, players from both teams walked onto the field to sounds of the Oasis song "Don't Look Back in Anger" played by the French Republican Guard. Underneath the display was a banner reading: "United with the Cities of Manchester and London". Both leaders were set to meet families of the victims of the Bataclan massacre on Tuesday evening.
She said the two countries will draw up tough new laws to force tech companies to take action. The two leaders discussed France's military operation against Islamic extremists in Africa's Sahel region.
The chance to stand in solidarity with the French president against terrorism will come as a "welcome reprieve" for May and serve to remind people that she is still prime minister despite her political woes, Dobbs said.
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