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Assessing
the Problem Hate on the Internet
Hate is pervasive on the
Internet, and it takes many forms. Through its Internet Monitoring
Unit, the ADL has documented literally hundreds of hate groups that
maintain a web presence. The ADL's report "Poisoning the Web: Hatred
Online" noted that these groups have become increasingly sophisticated
in their approach. Many hate sites are being specifically designed
to ensnare children.
The virulently anti-Semitic and racist World Church of the Creator, for example,
has in the past maintained a "Kid's Page" complete with apparently
harmless color graphics, crossword puzzles and games. A closer look
revealed the games were laced with racist and anti-Semitic themes.
The World Church of the Creator also posts membership applications and disturbing
images, such as a graphic of a skinhead crushing a Hassidic Jewish
man, with blood dripping from the giant fist. These hateful images
are hardly an isolated phenomenon, nor are they banished to the
farthest fringes of the Web. Any computer user can unwittingly land
at a hate site by typing a few keywords on a search engine. Indeed,
many hate sites are barely a click away, making it easier than ever
for hate groups to prey on unsuspecting computer users, especially
children.
While many hate sites are blatantly racist or bigoted in their approach, other
sites disguise themselves as legitimate sources of information.
There's one site that appears to be an examination of the life of
the civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Any student
doing research on Dr. King who might happen upon this site could
be duped into believing this is a legitimate history. Scrolling
down, the trained observer notices that it really contains racist
propaganda from the National Alliance.
The Internet has also become a haven for Holocaust Deniers, who dispense anti-Semitism
through distorted conceptions of modern history.
The Internet may also provide some hate groups with sources of revenue. The National
Alliance, one of the most dangerous organized white supremacist
groups in the United States, recently purchased a nearly defunct
hate music record label and revived it, taking advantage of the
unsurpassed power of the Internet with a newly designed web site
designed to sell hate music to the masses. The Resistance Records
Web site enables the record label to hawk its wares while spreading
the word about the hate movement to a new generation of potential
recruits.
Next: Internet
Hate Speech and the Law |
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