The path from online propaganda to murder isn’t only the domain of the Islamic State
Philip Bump, March 15th, 2019, Washington Post
It didn’t take long for American authorities to recognize an unusual factor powering the rise of the Islamic State several years ago. While its ideology and violence may have seemed medieval, its recruitment was very 21st century, leveraging social media to glorify its work and assail its enemies.
Why propaganda is more dangerous in the digital age
Albinko Hasic, March 12, 2019, Washington Post
The techniques are the same, but now anyone can go viral.
Why social media and terrorism make a perfect fit
Max Boot, March 16th, 2019, Global Opinions in the Washington Post
The livestreamed slaughter of 49 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, has shined a spotlight on how terrorists employ social media. As The Post noted on Friday: “The New Zealand massacre video, which appeared to have been recorded with a GoPro helmet camera, was announced on the fringe chat room 8chan, live-streamed on Facebook, reposted on Twitter and YouTube and discussed on Reddit.”
The New Zealand shooting shows how YouTube and Facebook spread hate and violent images — yet again
By Craig Timberg, Drew Harwell, Hamza Shaban, Andrew Ba Tran, and Brian Fung, March 15th, 2019, Washington Post
Friday’s slaughter in two New Zealand mosques played out as a dystopian reality show delivered by some of America’s biggest technology companies. YouTube, Facebook, Reddit and Twitter all had roles in publicizing the violence and, by extension, the hate-filled ideology behind it.
Spain fights cyberattacks, fake news ahead of key elections
Associated Press, March 15th, 2019, Washington Post
Spain is joining Europe-wide efforts to fight disinformation and online sabotage with new resources ahead of elections.
Russia may experiment with new forms of interference in Ukraine’s elections, experts warn
James Hohmann, March 13th, 2019, Daily 202, Washington Post
The Russians could use the looming Ukrainian elections as a proving ground to test innovative forms of interference that might, if successful, be weaponized against the United States during the 2020 presidential campaign.
The strongmen strike back
Robert Kagan, March 14th 2019, Opinion Essay, Washington Post
Of all the geopolitical transformations confronting the liberal democratic world these days, the one for which we are least prepared is the ideological and strategic resurgence of authoritarianism. We are not used to thinking of authoritarianism as a distinct worldview that offers a real alternative to liberalism. Communism was an ideology — and some thought fascism was, as well — that offered a comprehensive understanding of human nature, politics, economics and governance to shape the behavior and thought of all members of a society in every aspect of their lives.
When bad actors twist history, historians take to Twitter. That’s a good thing.
Waitman Wade Beorn, March 19th 2019, Washington Post
History can be a weapon or a shield. Almost since the first historians, politicians for good and ill have tried to manipulate the past to support their agendas in the present.
Russia mocks US collusion probe ahead of Mueller’s report
Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press in the Washington Post, March 13th, 2019
U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller has yet to release his report about Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but the Kremlin has been rehearsing its response for months.