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Leaders to tech firms at UN: Yank terror postings in 2 hours

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The leaders of Britain, France and Italy want tech companies to aim to remove postings that promote terrorism within just an hour or two after they appear.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday companies are making progress but need to go "further and faster." She says the average lifetime of Islamic State extremists' online propaganda shrank from six days to 36 hours from January through June.

But, May says, "that is still 36 hours too long."

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni joined May to convene world leaders and tech leaders to discuss the issue at the United Nations.

Internet services have come under increasing pressure to rid themselves of terrorist messages. Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Google-owned Youtube recently launched a joint counterterrorism initiative.

British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) The Associated Press
British Prime Minister Theresa May talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, right, as they leave a high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on U.N. peacekeeping operations, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) The Associated Press
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to reporters during a news conference at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) The Associated Press
Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni addresses the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) The Associated Press
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, greets Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni as he arrives for a high level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on U.N. peacekeeping operations, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) The Associated Press
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