[ad_1]
The technology used to counter violent online messages of the Islamic State and the far right is being adapted to counter the spread of "anti-vax" conspiracy theories.
Moonshot CVE, a company currently operating in 28 countries, uses techniques to identify and intervene in cases of Internet users who may be radicalized online. Its technology has already been deployed to counter the KKK in the US, Isis and the far right in Europe.
Moonshot's "redirection method", which involves the use of online advertisements for Google and social media users searching for certain keywords related to extremism, is now looking at the problem of "hesitancy about vaccine ", identified by the World Health Organization as one of the most important. the 10 biggest threats to global health this year.
The offices of Moonshot, full of spy holes and armored doors, are behind an indefinable door in the East End of London. Data provided by The Guardian to The Guardian on online searches done in London regarding memes and references from the far right over the last four months have highlighted the effectiveness of the tools deployed.
They showed that there had been more than 557 searches for the keywords "kill blacks" and 126 others for "kill blacks". Among the other searches, 178 used the keywords "14 words" (a reference to a slogan celebrated in right-wing circles) and 56 were looking for a PDF version of the journal Turner Diaries, a racist and anti-Semitic novel that would have inspired in part the inspiration of Oklahoma City. American bomber and terrorist Timothy McVeigh.
Vidhya Ramaligam, an extreme right-wing extremist who co-founded the company with Ross Frenett during their meeting as part of a think tank on the fight against extremism, stated that its employees were software developers and developers as well as anti-terrorism experts, social workers and mental health professionals.
"We all challenge ourselves every day to make sure our methods are ethical, effective and evidence-based from other sectors, while pushing the boundaries at home," she added.
In general, the model developed by Moonshot implies that people at risk of being dragged into violent extremism are identified and "reported" elsewhere, such as advice, job opportunities or counter-insults. -facts of extremist content.
While its founders expect that extremism will always be at the center of its concerns, it has recently looked at how to adapt the model to what it is. described as "other destructive communities online" such as those that disseminate anti-vaccination theories, human trafficking and people vulnerable to gang violence.
"The Internet can be used to spread dangerous behaviors and ideas, but we have the opportunity to be creative and use technology to solve some of the world's most complex problems," said Ramaligam.
The company also collaborates with NGOs to organize digital campaigns, which may include sending messages to vulnerable people. Current campaigns include a pilot intervention in South Asia, where he created an app that will help a local mental health NGO mentor those at risk of sinking into extremism.
"When a person engages in violent extremist content online, she can search for that content on Google or publish it on Facebook," Frenett said. "They will see an advertisement or receive a direct message offering advice or social support. This is an entry for us. If we can engage this person with a social worker, this is the starting point for a longer-term change. "
Mental health has also been the focus of past campaigns, including the fight against neo-Nazism in Australia, where people received contact information for consultations.
In the UK, a pilot program with a gym has been working with young people at risk of being dragged into gangs. The gym vouchers were used as part of a campaign based on Facebook ads focused on people at risk of being radicalized by the far right.
Source link
