In this week’s podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss the ethics and practicalities involved in the so-called “conflict industry.” It includes a discussion of the who and what of the “kill chain” and the implications of Rocket Lab’s position as a major US military logistical provider. You can find it here.
Kiwipolitico
This is an unrelated media link, but seems like you are implied as saying 4chan is banned in NZ, which is really not the case at all (I even went to have a quick read of /pol/, the small section of 4chan dedicated to the alt-right, and it’s not blocked at all).
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/437821/blocking-site-used-by-white-supremacists-should-be-a-priority-expert
James:
In the aftermath of March 15 the big internet providers in NZ promised to ban 8Chan and 4Chan from NZ. Either they have not done so and/or people are using other providers to access those sites. Beyond that, what is troubling is that while the intelligence agencies say that they do not have resources to canvass on-line places where extremists congregate, a group of anti-fascist activists did so easily and alerted the authorities to the individual in question. They presumably do not have the resources available to government security agencies, which begs several questions.
Have you ever actually been to 4chan? It is quite similar to reddit in its size and scope, that is to say it is very big and way beyond the ability for any government agency to police. Some work just cannot be done paid, it is only economic when it’s voluntary.
4chan and 8chan are quite different communities by the way.
I took a look at both on and after March 15 but since it is not my usual practice to associate with on-line psychopaths and sociopaths I have no ongoing interest to do so. Do you? if so, hopefully it as part of the anti-fascist activists. From a SIGINT point of view, there should be no discernable difference in tapping into the two because they can intercept on the way in and the way out. Think PRISM, AI and algorithmic filters.
Also, on the same subject. I was referring to the commitments by internet service providers under the Christchurch Call (https://www.christchurchcall.com). It turns out that they quietly reneged on their promises to deplatform extremist sites a few months after making the commitment. The government is trying to pass an internet filter bill but has run into opposition on that. So, contrary to what I believed when speaking to the reporter, the ban on accessing 4Chan and 8Chan was temporary, not permanent.