Posted on 08/08/2019 1:27:20 PM PDT by Kaslin
Earlier this year we completed a yearlong survey and analysis of troll propaganda coupled with online radicalization--and the growth of terrorist communities. That research was published in the U.S. Army cyber defense review and includes a conversation that Spans from ISIS, to white supremacists and the newer left-wing radical groups, including ANTIFA.
While ISIS was on a decline, in terms of their global physical presence, we saw a significant uptick in their recruiting --both online and on the dark web. In the middle of this-- ISIS came to the international spotlight by changing the nature of recruitment and how terrorism was conducted. On a parallel path-- we saw the movement from White Supremacist organizations, like Stormfront, that copycatted not only ISIS’s online engagement strategy but fundraising through Bitcoin.
ANTIFA’s rise also became enmeshed in ISIS’s web, as ANTIFA leaders met with ISIS in London to discuss recruiting methods and to plot attacks on President Trump and G20 events.
While on opposite sides of the ideological coin – White Supremacist / Alt Right (WS/AR) and Left Extremist/ ANTIFA (LE/ANTIFA) groups both found common communication ground on platforms like Reddit, 4chan, the now defunct 8chan, as well as private channels on messenger platforms including WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram and Signal.
Meme and internet subculture played a large role in the proliferation of ideas – as lower Millennial and Gen Z’ers find the same “punk rock” catalysts of ISIS recruiting in WS and LE idea sharing. The echo chambers that get created allow for two problems to fester.
Firstly, that the rhetoric and community created is seductive and hard to leave. Secondly, that academics generally misunderstand the true nature of trolling and troll culture – as clearly evident in this Harvard Politics piece that assumes the remove kebab meme is analogous to ideological shaping – when in reality, it’s part of a layered troll of layered memes simply supporting people who have already fermented their anger and tied it to an ideology – whether WS or LE.
The Manifesto of the Christchurch shooter was the ultimate troll – a combination of memes, popular reddit commentary and sh*tposts woven into a “manifesto” that was little more than a finger to Muslims and the establishment in New Zealand.
A quick review of the Meme rise and fall of Belle Delphine should give you an idea of how you can’t fully grasp meme culture, unless you’re in it. Academics are failing at this.
Similarly, the conflict of ideologies between extreme right and extreme left, online, has led to echo chambers where we now have a proliferation of WS conversations that fear Migrant Gangs and Migrants, as well as LE conversations advocating socialism, socialist upheaval and anarchy. In 2018, the only thing missing was guns. By 2019, groups and individuals had begun arming themselves.
Our research last year identified that from WS to LE groups – there was a growing trend of cross contact with ISIS and cross-dialogue where further idea sharing occurred. Publicly available papers support the notion of cross dialogue.
However it’s more important to underscore that what WS and LE groups are doing is waging a new type of propaganda and ideological war online.
This new war is one that ISIS pioneered – and one that WS and LE groups demonstrated this week in both El Paso and Dayton – that of a new breed of “lone wolf” one that we have coined the “Laughing Man”.
The Laughing Man generally lives in our communities but illustrates their worldview and ire in online posts on popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram. They also fit a type – El Paso was a WS shooter who hated migrants and reportedly supported Trump. Dayton was an LE shooter who advocated Socialism and supported Elizabeth Warren.
Mental Health issues may have played a role in both cases and a general societal malaise egged on by meme culture within their echo chambers gave them the gumption to carry out heinous acts.
Both of these killers existed on the fringe, in plain sight. To prevent this from happening again – we need to take a page out of the books of American Muslim communities – who reduced their terror threats through community engagement – or operational counterterrorism and couple it with sensible background check policy.
But, in an America where instafame means thousands of followers, but you still don’t know your neighbor’s name—we may have to turn back to building communities and investing in community policing, police auxiliaries, interfaith organizations and secular groups that have the mettle to address this culture war – if we’re going to stop mass shootings for good.
I feel like I’m living in Stalin’s USSR. The media are agitating and creating strife with non-stop accusations and fears of “saboteurs” and counter-revolutionaries everywhere.
Such fantastical and open-ended fear mongering keeping the sheep in a state of constant worry makes it so much easier to push through radical political schemes.
Patriots understand it and are getting ready to crush this out of existence.
Want to find a white terrorist? Lift the hood of an Antifa democrat.
Ok fine, wake me when the White Supremacists can get more than 9 people at a rally. Until then, stop equating things.
the sheep
“Ask not who are the sheep,
you’ll only get your feelings hurt.”
It is not ‘a new cycle of American Violence’. It is the old one, planned and initiated by 0bama, just now coming to fruition.
I believe that obama spent his 8 years in the white house planning for all this to take place after he was out of office.
Trump in office: Violence and mayhem to be blamed on him.
Hillary in office: Violence and mayhem to blamed on the republicans. Followed by swift crack down on republican politicians and their voters.
I thought one of the Christchurch shooter’s motives was to get libs to over react and pass gun confiscation laws which he thought would then cause regular gun owners to resist, starting a civil war or unrest. It sure didn’t work in New Zealand. Of course I guess they aren’t really turning their semi-auto’s in either in any great numbers.
Freegards
To liberals a white supremist is anyone who loves America, honors the US Constitution and believes in law and order, capitalism and national sovereignty.
the same clowns that haven’t yet been able to get us into war with Russia..Iran...Syria..etc are bound and determined to get one SOMEWHERE...even right here at home.
Conservatives do *not* want white people to be the exclusive bosses of everything. The chatter about white supremacy is a hoax.
Unproven and full of holes.
Dayton was an LE shooter who advocated Socialism and supported Elizabeth Warren.
FACT.
He apparently was an envirowhacko who subscribes to the belief that the environment can only be saved by eradicating human beings. He saw that illegal invaders cause pollution wherever they set up their shantytowns. His action was based in leftist ideology.
For all that the term “white supremacist” is thrown around by the left, I have yet to see an actual white supremacist or hear of a single act of terror committed by anyone on the right. The left uses this kind of rhetoric because they think we are like them, that we want to impose our will by violent means the way they do. They do not understand one iota about the right.
Take a look at his booking photo and tell me if you think he’s someone who hates Hispanics.
"They also fit a type – El Paso was a WS shooter who hated migrants and reportedly supported Trump."
WRONG!
The El Paso shooter specifically stated that his views were PRE-TRUMP, AND that he was an Enviro-Whacko, Population Control, Anti-Big Business type!!!!
That is CLEARLY NOT PRO-TRUMP!
bkmk
Exactly! Most of the violent crime in this country is committed by minorities. However, facts are racist.
“It is the old one, planned and initiated by 0bama, just now coming to fruition.”
Yep.
“We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” (As the military.)
- Obama 2008
“I need you to go out and talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors. I want you to talk to them whether they are independent or whether they are Republican. I want you to argue with them and get in their face,”
- Obama 2008
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