WhatsApp has become breeding ground for Nazi propaganda in Germany: report

[Darya]

https://www.thelocal.de/20190419/wha...germany-report

German Whatsapp users are spreading pro-Nazi propaganda through stickers, emojis and chain letters, sidestepping a law that makes public displays of swastikas and Nazi imagery illegal in Germany, a new report has found.

Free messaging and calling service WhatsApp has been branded a “hotbed for spreading Nazi propaganda in Germany” in a new report by Buzzfeed News that saw its journalists infiltrate far-right groups on the app.

Thousands of examples of symbols and imagery glorifying the Nazi regime were recorded on nine Whatsapp groups Buzzfeed had access to, some of which had names such as “Klu Klux Klan International” and “The German Storm” and numbered up to 250 members each.

The Nazi symbolism used ranged from the discreet – using the raised hand emoji as a Nazi salute – to the downright obvious.

Most worrying of all to the German advocacy groups that first raised the alarm on the trend is the abundance of tailor-made Nazi stickers on WhatsApp.

This relatively new feature on the app allows users to create their own images and emojis, allowing far-groups to post their personalised Nazi imagery and slogans easily and freely on WhatsApp groups.

According to Buzzfeed, they included everything from deeply anti-Semitic images, swastikas and SS insignias as well as messages that incite violence against refugees, Muslims, Jews and leftists.

Another example of hate speech circulating on these groups was a chain letter that read: “"You have been Hitlered. Hitler at least 5 more people or in 88 days a money-hungry Jew will steal all your money and rape you.”

"For every person who forwards this message, an immigrant is sent to his home country," the letter ends.

WhatsApp, which has been owned by Facebook since 2014, has struggled to find ways to deal with the spread and dissemination of hate speech on its platform given the company’s emphasis on making its communication services private and encrypted for all.

[Puupi]

"Nazi propaganda".

Using Nazi imagery for whatever reasons is not necessarily, and most likely, propaganda at all.

Also, they should check out what's happening on Discord.

I'm an active modder in the Hearts of Iron 4 (a ww2 grand strategy game) modding community; and by "general public's standards" all those hundreds of modding channels would be called "hotbeds" or "spreading propaganda" about nazism, communism, fascism and all other ideological stuff.

However that's not the real case. They are just hobbyist history enthusiasts having fun and not taking things too seriously.

[Thereturn]

Oh noes. The nazis are coming!

Whatsapp is also used by:
Terrorists
Drugdealers
Pedophiles
Trolls
Sex traffickers
Child labour

But no you are right, edgy kids posting hitler memes is where the threat is at.

[Cruor]

"Nazi propaganda".

Using Nazi imagery for whatever reasons is not necessarily, and most likely, propaganda at all.

Also, they should check out what's happening on Discord.

I'm an active modder in the Hearts of Iron 4 (a ww2 grand strategy game) modding community; and by "general public's standards" all those hundreds of modding channels would be called "hotbeds" or "spreading propaganda" about nazism, communism, fascism and all other ideological stuff.

However that's not the real case. They are just hobbyist ww2 enthusiasts having fun and not taking things too seriously.

Any good mods you can recommend to me for hearts of iron 4? I will be playing it again when I go overseas this summer, wont have the ping to game online. Nodding is a lot of work, I have published mods for Fallout 4, and nodded a lot if other games but I cant do them all too much work.

[Shuji V2]

Buzzfeed....

[horbindr]

people using emojis to describe something other than their intended purpose!? whats next? people making sexual innuendos with emojis? god forbid!

[Freighter]

people using emojis to describe something other than their intended purpose!? whats next? people making sexual innuendos with emojis? god forbid!

The OK sign and pointing finger emojis, so lewd. So indecent.

[Puupi]

Any good mods you can recommend to me for hearts of iron 4? I will be playing it again when I go overseas this summer, wont have the ping to game online.

Kaiserreich, In the Name of the Tsar, Red World, Apres Moi Le Deluge, Old World Blues, Führerreich, Black ICE.

Those are stuff that should get you started. There plenty of interesting beta stage mod projects out there, too.

I'm currently working myself on my extended timeline (1930 to 1955) mod with expanded game mechanics, more historical accuracy and more alternate historical choices. It will be out for others to test sometime this summer. Working on it daily now.

[Rumred]

Any good mods you can recommend to me for hearts of iron 4? I will be playing it again when I go overseas this summer, wont have the ping to game online.

Black ICE and Total War are my go-to for WWII mods. Road to 56 is also good. If you are looking for alt-history Kaiserreich is always very good. They have put so much work into that mod is basically its own game now. In the name of the Tsar is a good one about Russia staying in WWI and winning before the Tsar is overthrown. If you are wanting a WWI mod The Great War mod is coming along nicely. Tons of others mods but those are the bigger ones atm.

[d00mGuArD]

Another example of hate speech circulating on these groups was a chain letter that read: “"You have been Hitlered. Hitler at least 5 more people or in 88 days a money-hungry Jew will steal all your money and rape you.”

"For every person who forwards this message, an immigrant is sent to his home country," the letter ends.

Yeah this sounds like very effective propaganda and not a trolling at all. I am sure millions of people will be sold and will "hitler" each other.

According to Buzzfeed

Ah ok, I see now

[Krawu]

If chain letters over WhatsApp are the worst Neo Nazis can manage these days I'd argue that all is well.

What's next, will they tell racist jokes over IRC?

[Cruor]

Kaiserreich, In the Name of the Tsar, Red World, Apres Moi Le Deluge, Old World Blues, Führerreich, Black ICE.

Those are stuff that should get you started. There plenty of interesting beta stage mod projects out there, too.

I'm currently working myself on my extended timeline (1930 to 1955) mod with expanded game mechanics, more historical accuracy and more alternate historical choices. It will be out for others to test sometime this summer. Working on it daily now.

Cool, thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Black ICE and Total War are my go-to for WWII mods. Road to 56 is also good. If you are looking for alt-history Kaiserreich is always very good. They have put so much work into that mod is basically its own game now. In the name of the Tsar is a good one about Russia staying in WWI and winning before the Tsar is overthrown. If you are wanting a WWI mod The Great War mod is coming along nicely. Tons of others mods but those are the bigger ones atm.

Thanks as well.

[Raqubor]

If you're seeing Nazi's everywhere, I urge you to unplug from the internet for a month and go outside.
I guarantee, you will not meet a Nazi or see Racism / Sexism in that time frame.

These issues are blown out of proportion by the media to keep people scared and confused.

[Freighter]

If you're seeing Nazi's everywhere, I urge you to unplug from the internet for a month and go outside.
I guarantee, you will not meet a Nazi or see Racism / Sexism in that time frame.

These issues are blown out of proportion by the media to keep people scared and confused.

I've been watching a Korean streamer who went to Germany, during the few days she's been there:

https://clips.twitch.tv/AmusedGiantRaisinTwitchRaid
https://www.twitch.tv/giannielee/cli...raptorBabyRage
https://www.twitch.tv/giannielee/cli...ectUdonArgieB8

So, how about no?

[Cerilis]

I've been watching a Korean streamer who went to Germany, during the few days she's been there:

https://clips.twitch.tv/AmusedGiantRaisinTwitchRaid
https://www.twitch.tv/giannielee/cli...raptorBabyRage
https://www.twitch.tv/giannielee/cli...ectUdonArgieB8

So, how about no?

Geez, the second one... I hate drunk people, so cringe.

[Alexeht]

At least they do not spread LGBTerrorism

- - - Updated - - -

Buzzfeed....

Yeah that is funny, OP should also add CNN report about how you can say anything you want about white people since they changed racism definition (just try to not agree with it BIGOT!) xD

[Freighter]

Geez, the second one... I hate drunk people, so cringe.

Every time I've watched Korean or Taiwanese streamers going to European countries, they've always encountered some form of racism. I have friends who have gone there too and they've faced it too. I faced it in USA and Australia. I don't think these people who claim you won't see racism live in reality, it's either that or they only ever interact with other white people.

[Granyala]

a new report by Buzzfeed News

Never heard of it (I am German) and the name doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
A few Kiddos posting Hitler-memes is hardly worrying.

[lolpve]

Difficult to take threads like this seriously when these days believing in biology makes one a "Nazi".

What those of us with sense - and the intelligence communities - already know is that the biggest threats on social media messaging are islamist in nature, and also far-left terrorists. Not a few incels larping with swastikas.

- - - Updated - - -

Every time I've watched Korean or Taiwanese streamers going to European countries, they've always encountered some form of racism. I have friends who have gone there too and they've faced it too. I faced it in USA and Australia. I don't think these people who claim you won't see racism live in reality, it's either that or they only ever interact with other white people.

All countries are racist, especially east asia where racist slang is a part of day to day language. Europe is probably the least racist part of the world. Of course you get incredibly naive millennials who go on vacation to tourist hotspots where everyone is inexplicably welcoming to them ($$$$$) and this feeds into their deranged sense of white-guilt and white inferiority.

[Mormolyce]

Using Nazi imagery for whatever reasons is not necessarily, and most likely, propaganda at all.

Thousands of examples of symbols and imagery glorifying the Nazi regime were recorded on nine Whatsapp groups Buzzfeed had access to, some of which had names such as “Klu Klux Klan International” and “The German Storm” and numbered up to 250 members each.

Gonna go with yes.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh noes. The nazis are coming!

Whatsapp is also used by:
Terrorists
Drugdealers
Pedophiles
Trolls
Sex traffickers
Child labour

Oh phew, what a relief.