Cesar Sayoc and Robert Bowers, both recently arrested in the United States for violent crimes, were reportedly radicalised online. Sayoc, accused of mailing pipe bombs to critics of President Trump, and Bowers, charged with killing 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue, both found fuel for their beliefs on social media. This highlights the growing problem of online platforms being used to incite violence and hatred.
Social media companies are struggling to cope with the sheer volume of content posted on their platforms, making it difficult to identify and remove hateful or violent posts. Automated systems are not yet sophisticated enough to manage this task. Furthermore, the line between free speech and hate speech can be blurry, complicating efforts to regulate content.
The issue is not confined to the US; online radicalisation is a global problem. In Myanmar, Facebook was used to incite violence against the Rohingya, and in India, WhatsApp rumours led to lynchings.
The role of social media in radicalising individuals and spreading hate is a pressing issue. While companies are taking steps to address this, the sheer scale of the problem and the challenges of distinguishing between free and hate speech make it a daunting task.
Go to source article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/30/opinion/cesar-sayoc-robert-bowers-social-media.html