Google has announced that it had decided to alter its autocomplete suggestions in its search engine to remove anti-Semitic, sexist, and racist content. Other internet and social media giants Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube announced their new partnership aimed at helping to curb the spread of terrorist content online by creating a shared database of unique digital “fingerprints” of banned imagery and videos.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder welcomed the “long-overdue and praiseworthy” series of initiatives launched by internet and social media giants to crack down on anti-Semitism, terrorism, and incitement online.

“Anti-Semitic rhetoric and hate speech have permeated the internet, on popular and highly visited sites as well as elsewhere, for far too long, and are spreading at an alarming rate. Terror organizations widely exploit mainstream technologies, using social media platforms to recruit new militants, and to spread violence and fear,’’ Lauder said.

“We need to treat ‘viral’ material that denigrates Jews and others, that inspires would-be terrorists and encourages would-be Nazis, as just that: a viral disease that must be eradicated.”

Lauder added : “These long overdue and praiseworthy initiatives announced by Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Google and YouTube are promising steps in the fight against hatred and incitement, and indicate that these companies are committed to corporate responsibility and moral leadership. We look forward to the successes of these initiatives and hope other sites, including Amazon, will follow suit on this commendable example.”

Meanwhile, at the Google office in Brussels on Monday evening, a collaboration between Jewish NGO CEJI, A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, the European Commission and social media giants Twitter and Facebook to fight online hate crime was unveiled.