Spread of Political Ideas and Hostility

As the internet became what we know it as today, it proved to be an incredibly effective means of communicating, allowing people to share their ideas with others from across the globe. With our relatively newfound interconnectedness, however, comes a certain amount of risk. The internet can create more opportunities to be exposed to harmful or hostile ideas. These ideas can either be overt or subtle, direct or indirect. Directly, people with ill-intentions may actively seek out an audience to promote ideologies that encourage inflicting harm onto certain groups. Indirectly, people may model harmful behaviors such as harassment or the use hateful language; popular wisdom tells us that the internet amplifies the loudest and most angry voices.

It is important to analyze how ideas and hostility spread online so that we may not fall into the trappings of unproductive discourse, harmful rhetoric, and/or hateful ideologies. Also, it is important to consider what kind of speech should be permissible and how censorship works in the online space.

For more information and elaboration on the terminology, consider visiting the following pages: "Radicalization," "Free Speech," and "Anger and Outrage."

## Summary of Terminology

### Radicalization

The "process whereby groups or people become political extremists," usually implying an increased willingness to do violence in the name of a particular group or ideology.

If you are interested in learning more about radicalization, visit the radicalization wiki page and explore the Q-Anon conspiracy definitions!

### Extremism

A radical and dangerous ideology. There are two aspects to extremism: *extremist ideas*, loosely defined as ideas that are in opposition to society's core values, or *extremist methods,* which suggests a disregard for the lives or freedom of others.

If you are interested in learning more about extremism and how it relates to radicalization, visit the Radicalization page.

### Pipeline

A digital pathway by which people are funneled from milder content toward increasingly extreme content either by the recommendations of real people or through algorithms.

If you are interested in learning more about how pipelines may contribute to radicalization, visit the Radicalization page. Also if you want to learn more about how pipelines affect political discourse, visit the Polarization page.

### Social Justice Warrior (SJW)

A term often used pejoratively online to describe someone who is especially enthusiastic, or perhaps overly enthusiastic, about issues related to race, gender, identity, and other social justice issues.

If you are interested in learning more about how the term SJW is used and how it affects online discourse, visit the Anger and Outrage page.

### Alt-Right

"A right-wing, primarily online political movement or grouping based in the U.S. whose members reject mainstream conservative politics and espouse extremist beliefs and policies typically centered on ideas of white nationalism." [1]

The Radicalization and Anger and Outrage pages discuss examples of alt-right activity online, as well as the recent development of Q-Anon.

### Conspiracy Theory

According to *Murraystate.edu,* a conspiracy theory is “a constructed attempt to explain social and political events with a premise of secretive malicious intent to push further the agenda of powerful groups that seek to pursue goals in direct opposition to less powerful groups.”

If you want to learn more about this, visit the Anger and Outrage Wiki page.

Copeland, Hillary. “The Storm Is Coming: Analyzing the Belief in Q-Anon.” *Murray State's Digital Commons*, digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/scholarsweek/Spring2021/Psych\_InProcess/7/.

### Q-Anon

“Q-Anon is a disproven and discredited American far-right conspiracy theory.” (Wikipedia) It then follows by introducing that Q-Anon theory alleges that a secret group of “Satan-worshipping,” “cannibalistic” pedophiles are running a global child sex-trafficking ring that is plotting against Donald Trump. (Wikipedia) The New York Times backs up this definition by saying, "The big tent conspiracy theory” that falsely claims that former President Trump is facing down a shadowy cabal of Democratic pedophiles." (New York Times)

A type of conspiracy theory. QAnon has roots in Edgar Maddison Welch, the man who infamously entered Comet Ping Pong pizza restaurant armed to “free” captive children he believed to be hidden inside. Welch was discovered to have watched several YouTube videos describing the inexplicable allegation that the pizza restaurant was a part of a sex ring. “Pizzagate” as it came to be known as, has political roots in hacked emails from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign showing supposedly pointing to a child sex ring. QAnon followers believe Donald Trump is the protector against these satanic Democrats.

References

1. “QAnon.” *Wikipedia*, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAnon#Conspiracy\_claims.
2. Roose, Kevin. “What Is QAnon, the Viral Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theory?” *The New York Times*, The New York Times, 18 Aug. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-qanon.html

### Free Speech

Free Speech is a principle that supports the Freedom of individuals or a community to expression their ideas and opinion without apprehension, censorship, or legal sanction. The First Amendment to the constitution “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;” is known by many as expression without repercussion. Free speech is exercised everywhere that is deemed appropriate.

For more information about free speech, visit the wiki page "Free Speech."

### Freedom of Press

Free Press is news media, publishers not controlled or hindered by government censorship in political or Ideological matters. Published media is aright that should be exercised freely.

For more information, visit the "Free Speech" page.

### Censorship

Censorship is the oppression of words, ideas, images that are offensive, especially when individuals are thrusting personal ideologies of political or moral values upon others. The government can carry out private censorship or private pressure groups. However government censorship is unconstitutional.

For more information, visit the "Free Speech" page.

### Harassment

Harassment is “Unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.” There could be online harassment or sexual harassment. Situations of harassment create an unpleasant environment for unwelcome conduct. Harassment crimes online include stalking, bullying, hate crimes, and etc.

For more discussion about harassment, bullying, and/or dopiling, visit the "Free Speech" page or the "Anger and Outrage" page.

### Impeachment

Impeachment is the constitutional remedy for removing a sitting US politician, particularly used in the context of removing the president.

Donald Trump was impeached twice, one for soliciting a foreign nation, and one for inciting an insurrection.

### Insurrection

An insurrection is a violent rebellion against the government by a small group of people, aimed at stopping or stalling the government for a period of time.

The US featured an insurrection on January 6 when supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol with an attempt to stop Congress from validating the 2020 election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

More information about the Capitol Insurrection can be found on the "Radicalization" page. Further elaboration on "incendiary speech" can be found on the "Free Speech" page.

### Hate Speech

Hate speech is “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor” it is rooted from intolerance and hatred that is demeaning and divisive. It can lead to:

* Human rights violation

* Crime

* Terrorism

* Gender Based discrimination/Violence

* Even racism and discrimination towards women, children, and minority youth

More information about hate speech can be found on the "Free Speech" page.

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAnon#Conspiracy\_claims