High-tech dream team to fight IS online

Seeking to bolster its effort to counter Islamic State (IS) messaging on social media, President Brack Obama's administration is assembling something of a high-tech dream team to battle the terrorist group online, media reported on Thursday.

At a meeting conducted at the Justice Department on Wednesday, executives from Apple, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, MTV and Buzzfeed offered their input to top counter-intelligence officials, according to an industry source familiar with the meeting, reports CNN.

Nick Rasmussen, Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, told the group the administration was making strides in combating IS on social media, where the terrorist army has inspired potential lone wolf assailants to carry out attacks.

"We've seen more aggressive takedowns across social media platforms, which is a really good thing," Rasmussen was quoted as saying by the source at the gathering.

Apple's participation in the meeting was notable, given the high-tech firm's clash with the administration over the company's use of encryption to shield customers' data on its popular smartphones.

Representatives for the White House and the Department of Justice declined to say whether the standoff with Apple arose at Wednesday's meeting.