Director of the Tech Transparency Project, Katie Paul, joins broadcaster/comedian Chip Franklin and former Asst. FBI Director Frank Figliuzzi to discuss how social media platforms like Facebook are enabling extremism in the latest episode of "Frankly."
Subscribe to our Patreon here, where paid members will get access to exclusive portions of this show. patreon.com/reallyamericanmedia
Be sure to pick up a copy of Frank’s brand new book, Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers
Subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-a-hard-look-at-americas-soft-spots/id1744249347
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Cuks1KvlFPI0356Tczkfs
Subscribe on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b0b8aab0-1730-4ec3-a058-3033e2cd31c4/frankly-a-hard-look-at-america's-soft-spots
Subscribe on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-frankly-a-hard-look-at-ame-172629671/
Our website: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frankly-podcast
Katie Paul is a specialist at tracking online criminal activity on social media platforms. She also serves as co-director of the Antiquities Trafficking and Heritage Anthropology Research Project and a founding member of the Alliance to Counter Crime Online.
Frank was extremely alarmed when he read Katie’s most recent shocking report about the resurgence of militia groups on Facebook. “I write a regular column for MSNBC daily, and I shamelessly quoted from her work,” he told us. That's why we've decided to do this episode today. People need to know the violent militia movement is far from over and social media continues to contribute to the problem.”
In this eye-opening episode, you’ll hear about the rising threat of extreme militia groups online and find out what role Facebook’s algorithm plays in making their daunting resurgence possible. The level of organizing, recruiting, training, and cross-state training coordination that's on full display on these platforms is unlike anything Katie has seen before.
“Companies have just. simply not invested in scaling their efforts at moderation or curbing harm, from terrorism to trafficking to militias in the United States,” Katie said. “And unfortunately, we're also dealing with a situation where these companies have tuned their algorithms to really promote the most extreme content, the content that's going to get the biggest rise out of people.”
How many groups are we talking about? What role do social media platforms like Facebook play in amplifying these militia groups? And what does this all mean for the possibility of violence leading up to the November election? You won’t want to miss the answers to these questions and more in this awesome interview.
“We’re getting closer to a broader understanding that Facebook is making money to push content to them, which is important and terrifying,” said Chip. “There's a continuing theme that changes and broadens and blossoms and frightens all in the same. It is truly one of those doors that you open and you have no idea what's going to be on the other side.”
You can learn more about Katie’s work at techtransparency.org and follow her on Twitter at @TTP_updates.
