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Nami LaChance writes at The Intercept that a google-incubated program that targets potential ISIS members with deradicalizing content will soon be used to target violent right-wing extremists in North America. Using research and targeted advertising, the initiative by London-based startup Moonshot CVE and Google's Jigsaw technology incubator targets potentially violent Jihadis and directs them to a YouTube channel with videos that refute ISIS propaganda. In the pilot program countering ISIS, the so-called Redirect Method collected the metadata of 320,000 individuals over the course of eight weeks, using 1,700 keywords, and served them advertisements that led them to the videos.
"I think this is an extremely promising method," says Richard Stengel, U.S. Undersecretary of State for public diplomacy and public affairs. In the ISIS pilot program, the YouTube channel pulls preexisting videos that, according to Yasmin Green, the head of research and development for Jigsaw, "refute ISIS's messaging." One video is from a woman who secretly filmed her life in ISIS-controlled Raqqa. Another shows young people in Mosul, their faces obscured by keffiyehs for their protection, talking about life under the Islamic State. "The branding philosophy for the entire pilot project was not to appear judgmental or be moralistic, but really to pique interest of individuals who have questions, questions that are being raised and answered by the Islamic State."
Ross Frenett, co-founder of Moonshot, says his company and Jigsaw are now working with funding from private groups to target other violent extremists, including the hard right in America. "Our efforts during phase two, when we're going to focus on the violent far right in America, will be very much focused on the small element of those that are violent. The interesting thing about how they behave is they're a little bit more brazen online these days than ISIS fan boys," says Frenett.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 10 2016, @01:19AM
BZZT! Wrong, yourself. (Also, how are unclassified DHS documents a problem?)
From page 8 of the DHS lexicon [fas.org] (7 by the document's page numbering system):
That is hard evidence.
In context, this means that "patriot movement" folks, among Constitutionalists, Christian patriots, etc., are "rightwing extremists" who link "their beliefs" to "those [beliefs] commonly associated with the American Revolution", and are comprised of "violent antigovernment groups such as militias and sovereign citizens". For a hard-working, America-loving, gun-owning family man concerned about keeping his family fed and protected through the ongoing Greater Depression, this government brush paints him as a terrorist, along with a significant number of peaceable folk who primarily just want the Constitution to be followed in a country supposedly operating under the principles of Rule of Law.
I don't blame you for not wading into the whole mess, but I thought it was very clear that the lexicon was the smoking gun, and that everything else was supporting evidence or easier-to-read summaries. There are plenty of other problematic groups defined as terrorists by the lexicon and its associated document, but I just went for the low-hanging fruit.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 10 2016, @01:53AM
Its hard evidence that the DHS believes those groups are trying to back-fit their agendas into a constitutional framework in order to give their beliefs legitimacy. It is not proof that their beliefs are legitimately constitutional or patriotic. They are no different than ISIS laying claim to be the one true muslims and slaughtering all the other muslims for not being legit. Or the nazis who claimed to be socialists — its in their freaking name "national socialists" — but the first people they came for [ushmm.org] were the actual socialists.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 10 2016, @02:11AM
If that were true, then it would be pretty easy for anyone to point out the actual beliefs of such groups, then, rather than referring to them as e.g. Constitutionalists.
Just as how I can point out that ISIS/Daesh is indeed following the Quran, the Sira, and the Hadith by behaving exactly as the perfect example of how a Muslim should behave: Mohammed. It would demand more of your time, but I suggest looking at the Quran in chronological order to discover that the peaceful statements Islam has to offer are from the unsuccessful peaceful religious time period right before the overwhelmingly successful phase of global-war Islam. The source I've used and recommend most is Prophet of Doom [prophetofdoom.net], (now sadly only available in PDF format instead of its HTML, audiobook, and dead-tree formats alongside PDF).
Other critically important concepts to keep in mind regarding the study of Islam is taquiyya ("moral lying" to promote Islam), and abrogation (the newer replaces the older, as in the "satanic verses").
(Score: 4, Insightful) by aristarchus on Saturday September 10 2016, @02:00AM
In context, this means that "patriot movement" folks, among Constitutionalists, Christian patriots, etc., are "rightwing extremists" who link "their beliefs" to "those [beliefs] commonly associated with the American Revolution", and are comprised of "violent antigovernment groups such as militias and sovereign citizens".
Yes? I honestly do not see a problem with this definition. It is not the "beliefs associated with the American Revolution" that is the problem, it is the right-wing scum who link their fascist ideas to the Revolution, thereby soiling everything associated with it. Why do they hate America? Anyone who insists on being all "patriotic" is likely a looney, and not in the good, Canadian sense of the term. We need to keep an eye on these people.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Saturday September 10 2016, @02:15AM
BZZT! Wrong, yourself. (Also, how are unclassified DHS documents a problem?)
From page 8 of the DHS lexicon (7 by the document's page numbering system):
Definitions:
(U) patriot movement
(U//FOUO) A term used by rightwing extremists to link their
beliefs to those commonly associated with the American
Revolution. The patriot movement primarily comprises
violent antigovernment groups such as militias and sovereign
citizens.
(also: Christian patriots, patriot group, Constitutionalists,
Constitutionist)
That is hard evidence.
Yes, it is hard evidence. Hard evidence of your poor reading comprehension.
I'll explain, and I'll use small words so you'll be sure to understand.
DHS is *not* saying that people who support our constitution are terrorists. DHS *is* saying that some violent extremists attempt (as do the muslim extremists with Islam, fellow travelers that they are) to identify themselves with broadly-held positive images of the Founding Fathers and the ideals of the American Revolution as propaganda to support their violent jihad against the people and ideas they dislike.
Do you get it now? If not, an AC [soylentnews.org] and Aristarchus [soylentnews.org] explain it as well. Perhaps repetition will help your reading comprehension, but I'm not holding my breath.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 10 2016, @02:39AM
And I'll try the same approach with you: If the US federal government is operating almost entirely as a criminal gang, then it would make sense that said criminal government would be very keen to keep close track of those who wish to see the rule of law restored. [soylentnews.org]
It's easy when you get to make up your own defintions for words such as "hate" and "antigovernment" (neither of which are defined in said DHS lexicon).
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Saturday September 10 2016, @02:57AM
And I'll try the same approach with you: If the US federal government is operating almost entirely as a criminal gang, then it would make sense that said criminal government would be very keen to keep close track of those who wish to see the rule of law restored. [soylentnews.org]
It's easy when you get to make up your own defintions for words such as "hate" and "antigovernment" (neither of which are defined in said DHS lexicon).
I don't take issue with those who express anti-government sentiments. I'm not so pleased with my government either, and will say so to you and anyone else I want.
I don't actually *hate* anyone, although there are some folks with whom I'm rather nonplussed.
That said, speech and expression are one thing.
Harming and/or killing those you disagree with/dislike is another, whether you're a representative of the government (FBI, local "law enforcement", etc.) or a member of a violent non-governmental group (whether they call themselves "militias", "patriots" or "constitutionalists"), you don't have the right to harm others in pursuit of your goals.
The old saw, often attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, says "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins." [quoteinvestigator.com]
As such, I'm not "making up" any definitions. Rather, I'm focused on actions. Free speech is a wonderful and powerful thing. Maiming and killing others is also powerful, but not wonderful. Do you see the difference?
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 10 2016, @04:00AM
I agree. I'm also obviously not so pleased with the USian government, nor do I hate anyone.
My accusations of made-up definitions was not pointed at you; rather I noted the DHS made heavy use of "hate" and "antigovernment" without bothering to define them, making it easy to use them in a misleading fashion.
The USian government is committing crimes against the USian people daily, has written "laws" that it says it can use to kidnap people indefinately, and calls people who stockpile arms and life-essential supplies as antigovernment haters. Sorry, the biggest threat to my personal safety here is not hoarders, a pack of fat hunters, or a bunch of skinhead neo-Nazis in Michigan/Montana/wherever - it's the 2.4+ trillion dollar US federal government operating almost entirely outside of the rule of law (along with its co-conspirators in corporate "private" business). I can trade shots with skinheads; I don't have 2.4+ trillion dollars at my disposal, and the record on mass-murder by governments is abysmal [jpfo.org]. I've tried voting as a solution - it hasn't seem to work, so I prefer to spend my time on gathering the supplies I need to continue living. For that, I'm a hate-filled antigovernment patriot.
As the uncited saying goes, "don't start nothin', won't be nothin'."
Lastly, here's a source [gunowners.org] that contains information on (and a link to the) MIAC report "Modern Militia Movement [constitution.org]" which tells armed law enforcement that libertarians and Ron Paul supporters are signs of their (armed and dangerous) enemy, the hate-filled antigovernments. People get killed over wrong-door police raids - I'm not too happy about Ron Paul bumper sticker killings.