This month’s mass shooting at two mosques in New Zealand exposed how social media companies are still struggling to moderate their platforms. Microsoft now says a united tech industry could work together on a better approach.

“Ultimately, we need to develop an industrywide approach that will be principled, comprehensive and effective,” Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a blog post that was published on Sunday. “The best way to pursue this is to take new and concrete steps quickly in ways that build upon what already exists.”

“Individuals are using online platforms to bring out the darkest sides of humanity”

Footage of the killings in Christchurch spread rapidly across the internet. Facebook said that in the first 24 hours after the shooting, it removed 1.5 million videos with the footage. YouTube faced similar problems.

In the post, Smith notes that “individuals are using online platforms to bring out the darkest sides of humanity.” He suggests new investments in technology to flag content, which should be shared “with a community spirit,” while adding that technology will not be enough on its own.

The post also suggests creating a definition of a “major event” that’s shared across the tech industry. Using that definition, companies could work together on a “joint virtual command center” where they could coordinate a response after an incident.

Smith’s post repeatedly makes the case for a system that occasionally puts aside competition to tackle problems. In the past, the tech industry has occasionally come together on moderation issues: as Smith points out, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and YouTube have worked together on strategies to fight terrorist content.

“The question is not just what technology did to exacerbate this problem, but what technology and tech companies can do to help solve it,” Smith concludes. “Put in these terms, there is room — and a need — for everyone to help.”