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A Proposal For Dealing With Terrorist Videos On the Internet (vortex.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the out-with-the-bad dept.

Lauren Weinstein writes: Recent claims by some (mostly nontechnical) observers that it would be "simple" for services like YouTube to automatically block "terrorist" videos, in the manner that various major services currently detect child porn images are nonsensical. One major difference is that those still images are detected via data "fingerprinting" techniques that are relatively effective on known still images compared against a known database, but are relatively useless outside the realm of still images, especially for videos of varied origins that are routinely manipulated by uploaders specifically to avoid detection. Two completely different worlds. So are there practical ways to at least help to limit the worst of the violent videos, the ones that most directly portray, promote, and incite terrorism or other violent acts? I believe there are.

7 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. This is getting tiresome by Artem+S.+Tashkinov · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Firstly, such videos should not be removed, "Know thy enemy" you know. I guess the best way to deal with them is to put them behind the usual 18+ rating as youtube has already been doing for years to even slightly provocative clips.

    Secondly, most people, this journalist included, don't understand terrorism. Its goal is not to kill, but to be heard and to suggest fear. Your risk of dying of terrorism is many magnitudes lower than dying from other natural courses, including a vehicle crash or cancer.

    The best way to deal with terrorism is to neglect them totally. Don't let them on TV or radio, or Internet. Fight them behind the curtains.

    1. Re:This is getting tiresome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      such videos should not be removed [...] Don't let them on TV or radio, or Internet.

      So we should fight to keep them off the internet, but if they somehow managed to get on, we should let them stay there?

      If that was not the message you were conveying, then please clarify.

    2. Re: This is getting tiresome by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, other people need to know them too, or else you leave yourself open to having government authorities declare people to be terrorists regardless of whether they really are or not. Perhaps the victims of such false accusations are merely peaceful political opponents; you won't know if they're censored, and it's hardly unheard of for those in power to use any tool against those who would limit their power or remove them from power.

      We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

      --
      -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
    3. Re:This is getting tiresome by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The best way to deal with terrorism is to neglect them totally. Don't let them on TV or radio, or Internet.

      So, you agree with TFA, then? Because "don't let them on the internet" seems to be what TFA is advocating.

      Personally, I prefer treating them like common criminals. Don't give them the credit of being "terrorists". Call them what they are: murderers/thieves/whatever. Don't treat their trials as media circuses; instead give them exactly the coverage any other criminal would get....

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  2. Come now by rmdingler · · Score: 1, Insightful
    If you begin by removing videos by crackpots that you find offensive, where then, do you draw the line?

    Don't eat the pudding that suggests Muslims are the only god-belief group filled with folks who would punish those who disagree with them.

    Hatred is a flammable, tangible thing, and it will burn itself out quickly enough.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  3. Re:What I Don't Understand... by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Let's say there are 5M Muslims in USA and 40M in Europe and lets say 0.001% of them are radicalised by stuff on the internet and moved to commit violent acts. You do the arithmetic.

    That's still small change compared to all the other millions of people radicalised by shit on the internet. Get rid of those bullshit anti-Planned Parenthood videos first.

    --
    Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  4. Sick of Censorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Get rid of those bullshit anti-Planned Parenthood videos first.

    Those were videos of Planned Parenthood employees talking about what they do at work. Does having publically funded organizations having what they do posted online offend you for some reason? Sounds like you want to force people to pay for things you want money spent on, but you don't think they should be allowed to express an opinion on it or even publically post what that money is being used for.

    Are you so insecure in your opinions that you can't risk honest debate about it?