Exposing Hate Online: New 人兽性交 resource tracks role of tech companies in spreading far-right extremism through podcasts
The Southern Poverty Law Center released a groundbreaking,聽four-part report鈥痶his week that exposes the origins聽and growth of the far-right podcast ecosystem聽over the past decade.
The series is the first investigative report on the 人兽性交鈥檚 new TechWatch, a resource that tracks the role technology plays in perpetuating hate.
The investigative series on TechWatch also examines聽the extremists and groups that use this technology to create and expand their networks of hate.
鈥淔or years, far-right extremists and hate groups have increasingly used technology to spread dangerous messaging, raise money, expand their membership and audience and even coordinate violence,鈥 said Susan Corke, director of the 人兽性交鈥檚 Intelligence Project.
鈥淭his new resource seeks to expose the various ways these groups use all sorts of tech platforms,鈥 Corke said. 鈥淒espite constant warnings to tech companies about the dangers of these groups, more often than not, companies have put profits over the public good. Our hope is resources like this will聽shine light into dark corners of the web and聽help propel action by the companies, the public聽and even Congress to address this dire situation.鈥澛
On聽TechWatch, 人兽性交聽writers and researchers will use data聽analytics and research to聽reveal the聽interdependence聽of聽technology and extremism.聽The page will also聽feature the聽人兽性交鈥檚 reporting聽from the聽last decade that focuses on technology and hate and holding Twitter and other platforms accountable.
In the new report, the 人兽性交 analyzed 18 different podcasts鈥痜rom 2005 through 2020 and focused鈥痮n 882 cast members who appeared on鈥痬ore than 4,000 episodes.聽The report聽examines how extremists use podcasts as聽a tool to build in-person communities and mobilize their base to attend events.
The 人兽性交 found that the podcasts also provided a low-cost, low-risk method of exchanging information and networking internationally. Appearances on international podcasts helped propagandists, event organizers and movement leaders discuss strategies and tactics to promote their movement.
The data also revealed that podcasts played a crucial role in branding and marketing Richard Spencer, one of the core leaders of today鈥檚 white nationalist movement.聽聽聽聽
鈥淥ur research makes clear聽that聽extremists聽are using聽podcasts to cultivate their own financially lucrative video and livestreaming landscape聽and spread their messages of hate and disinformation, and the tech companies have allowed, enabled or even been聽complicit,鈥 Corke said.