On the Media

The Challenge of Fighting Terrorism Online


Listen Later

The attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando has renewed calls for anti-terrorist action from politicians across the board. For presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, this has meant a revival of her call for a government/Silicon Valley alliance that would analyze social networks in order to thwart terrorist plots and impede potential radicalization.

It's an attractive solution but one, as we've explored before, that is far more complicated than it might sound. This week we revisit two conversations we had last January, when a US government delegation met with Silicon Valley executives to discuss just such an approach. Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University School of Law, talks about how a neutral-sounding algorithm for scanning radicalization raises numerous legal red flags. And terrorist behavior expert John Horgan explains how this approach fundamentally misunderstands how radicalization happens and why we must be careful distinguishing between those who consume extremist content and those who intend to act on it.

On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

On the MediaBy WNYC Studios

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

8,848 ratings


More shows like On the Media

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,855 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

44,011 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,582 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,798 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

4,080 Listeners

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

3,996 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,482 Listeners

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

3,560 Listeners

1A by NPR

1A

4,680 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,258 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,384 Listeners

Today, Explained by Vox

Today, Explained

10,306 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,461 Listeners

Strict Scrutiny by Strict Scrutiny

Strict Scrutiny

5,831 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,306 Listeners

The Divided Dial by WNYC

The Divided Dial

15 Listeners