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posted by martyb on Monday May 25 2015, @09:23AM   Printer-friendly
from the molding-public-opinion-or-providing-balance? dept.

The BBC reports:

Intervention by police within the first 24 hours of a terrorist event could be key to halting the spread of cyber-hate, a new study has found.

Cardiff University researchers found online hate in the aftermath of the murder of Lee Rigby peaked in the first 24 hours then declined sharply.

The research is being published in the British Journal of Criminology on the second anniversary of his murder near Woolwich Barracks in London.

They found tweets from police and media were about five times more likely to be retweeted compared with tweets from other users following the attack.

[...] During the study, social and computer scientists at the university focused on the production and spread of racial and religious cyberhate and the Twitter battle between police and far-right political groups in the first 36 hours following the attack.

[...] Dr Matthew Williams said: "We concluded that cyber-hate has a 'half-life' following crime events of national interest.

"The sharp de-escalation of hate can be explained by post-event media and police Twitter messages that have a defusing effect and counter-speech from everyday Twitter users that challenge abusers."

Dr Pete Burnap said: "The ability to observe a large portion of the population in near real-time via social media networks provides those responsible for ensuring the safety of the public a new window onto mass social reaction."

 
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  • (Score: 2) by rts008 on Monday May 25 2015, @04:21PM

    by rts008 (3001) on Monday May 25 2015, @04:21PM (#187638)

    LOL!
    You don't even know my what my 'kind' is, or what I espouse.
    All you can see is 'us versus them'. You erroneously see it as binary, when it is not.

    Once you take that hate-infused 'us vs. them' attitude, the more you say defending your side, the more ridiculous you sound to others.

    Islam is only a subset of the main problem, but you want to focus on one religion that is not part of your culture. Fine. That is your prerogative, no matter how stupid it makes you sound.

    FUD has always been the primary tool of those with a shady agenda, and the ignorant gobble it up, like pigs at a feed-trough. I hope you enjoy your slops, but those with a working brain find it to be poisonous, and not filling.

    Your solution is to build a campfire and sing Kumbayah.

    Incorrect. You are way off-base with that one!

    My solution is too radical to implement at this time, and is too complex to describe here, but I will give you a hint:
    It involves the extinction of religions(and other 'belief systems' that foster 'us vs. them' attitudes), and the US pulling it's military mostly back inside the US(and a big trimming), and STOP FUCKING AROUND WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD! Getting money out of politics, and castrating the military-industrial complex. Put the research and development into healthier and sustainable energy production instead of into more weapons. Education and healthcare for all. and much more. And all of that is just a small tip of the iceberg...

    Besides, while I CAN build a campfire PDQ, I don't even know the words to 'Kumbayah', and have NEVER sang it...and don't plan to, as I'm an atheist.

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  • (Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Monday May 25 2015, @04:58PM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 25 2015, @04:58PM (#187647) Journal

    If it's to radical and complex for you to put it into words - then it is worthless. It looks to me like you want to re-engineer all of society to confrom to your views. Didn't Joseph Stalin do that? What are the numbers now? How many died to prove Stalin right? Some shuffled off to Siberia, to die of cold and exposure. Others sent to farms to grow things that would not grow in those areas? Others sent to prisons, to be starved, or shot, or just tortured to death. So - do you think that you have Joe's charisma? Can you persuade the masses to follow your edicts to their graves?

    Yes, obviously I was way off base with the Kumbaya business.

    And, maybe the song I offered is off target as well. Sounds like you're willing to stand at the fire and pour the fuel on for the rest of your life.

    • (Score: 2) by rts008 on Monday May 25 2015, @05:17PM

      by rts008 (3001) on Monday May 25 2015, @05:17PM (#187654)

      You stupid git!
      I never said it was too complex to put into words!

      I said it was too complex to describe here. As in: 'This is not the place for a position-paper consisting of hundreds of pages '. Now, is that simple enough for you?

      Words of wisdom from my grandfather: 'Don't argue with idiots, as listeners soon can't tell the difference'. With that in mind, I'll sign off now. The End.