Study of YouTube comments finds evidence of (far-right) radicalization effect

TechCrunch ^ | 01/28/2020 | Natasha Lomas

[Skywise]

Research presented at the ACM FAT 2020 conference in Barcelona today supports the notion that YouTube’s platform is playing a role in radicalizing users via exposure to far-right ideologies.

The study, carried out by researchers at Switzerland’s Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne and the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil, found evidence that users who engaged with a middle ground of extreme right-wing content migrated to commenting on the most fringe far-right content.

A March 2018 New York Times article by sociologist Zeynep Tufekci set out the now widely reported thesis that YouTube is a radicalization engine. Followup reporting by journalist Kevin Roose told a compelling tale of the personal experience of an individual, Caleb Cain, who described falling down an “alt right rabbit hole” on YouTube. But researcher Manoel Horta Ribeiro, who was presenting the paper today, said the team wanted to see if they could find auditable evidence to support such anecdotes.

Their paper, called “Auditing radicalization pathways on YouTube,” details a large-scale study of YouTube looking for traces of evidence — in likes, comments and views — that certain right-leaning YouTube communities are acting as gateways to fringe far-right ideologies.

[Skywise]

Insanity - the left continues their march through technology. Notice there's no "left wing" radicalization - just right-wing.

[calenel]

To them, anything that isn’t far-left is “far-right”.

So anybody that starts at their “center”, which objectively is far-left, and gets exposed to arguments that moderate them in any degree, is getting “right-wing radicalized” even if they are still way left of center.

The problem is the left claimed the center to move the argument and it was not properly contested.

[a fool in paradise]

Despotism (Encyclopedia Britannica film, circa 1946)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaWSqboZr1w

“A community is low on a ‘Respect’ scale if common courtesy is withheld from large groups of people on account of their political attitudes.”

“...in a downright despotism opposition is dangerous whether the despotism is official or whether it is unofficial...”

“A community rates low on the ‘Information’ scale when the press, radio, and other channels of communication are controlled by only a few people and when citizens have to accept what they are told.”

“See how a community trains its teachers”
“...these students are being taught to accept uncritically whatever they are told. Questions are not encouraged.”

“And if books and newspapers and the radio [and facebook and youtube and...] are officially controlled the people will read and accept exactly what the few in control want them to. Government censorship is one form of control. The newspaper that breaks the government censorship rule can be suspended. It is also possible for newspapers and other lines of communication to be controlled by private interests...”

Democracy (Encyclopedia Britannica film, circa 1946)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx25aMPvbJo

“The newspapers of a real democracy meet these tests...”

Newspaper checks.
1. Balance of coverage
2. Disclosure of source
3. Competence of staff

[KosmicKitty]

I guess just too many churches posted about their ice cream socials and their Christmas fairs.

Oh those wicked, radical right-wing church ladies.

[a fool in paradise]

They do not believe that a FAR left exists.

There is no system so far left that it is considered extremist or horrific.

Bernie Bros are defending Stalin’s gulags now.

Bill Ayers was for killing 25 million who couldn’t be politically re-educated.

Connected Democrat Jim Jones killed him flock and had agents of his cult hunt down those who escaped or talked after the mass suicide.

They quoted Mao, they celebrate Che and Fidel. They carried the North Vietnamese flag at supposed “Anti-war” protests. They recently marched in major US cities promoting Communism, cheering the Iranian government while denouncing the US government. Not one march after the Iranians shot down a passenger jet killing all on board.

[DrGunsforHands]

ISIS and such would be considered far right. They might not have meant to but on that they are absolutely correct.

[glorgau]

Example of fringe far right comment: “There are only two sexes”

[Gay State Conservative]

Example of fringe far right comment: “There are only two sexes”

After having been registered on the site for about 10 years and commenting regularly I was recently banned (permanently) from The Guardian's (London) website for stating that there were only two genders.

I kid you not.

[ncpatriot]

In reality, it is the left that is being radicalized

[eyeamok]

The same people that believe anyone to the right of the wild eyed leftist’s like Stalin and Hitler are Right Wing Extremists, it is pathetic.

[jarwulf]

‘Radicalization’==People are convinced by my opponents arguments.

[DYngbld]

Every ad I have seen today has been DNC. Hmmm.

[Drago]

Yep, normal American citizen now = “far-right radical”.

[SecondAmendment]

I am a member of the ACM, and as is typical with academic run organizations, it’s steeped with leftist politics....

[Skywise]

I was a member of the ACM and IEEE too until they became mouthpieces for leftist propaganda. Technology fell by the wayside and social justice overtook all discussions.

[Long Jon No Silver]

Disagreeing with anything these totalitarian minded stooges come up with is ‘far right”

[maddogtiger]

Scalia, Rich, Epstein were murdered. Is this Rad Right?