This is a short video (5:27) I created, explaining how racism operates in the digital era. The danger may not be what you think it is.
“Racial Internet Literacy” from JessieNYC on Vimeo.
Racism Review
scholarship and activism toward racial justice
I think most American adults can distinguish between advocacy for a white supremacist agenda, versus facts regarding black history, for example. They may not see it immediately, but it will become obvious at closer examination. However, many adults have been deceived by bait-and-switch advertising on the net using very sophisticated methods including false company logos.
However, and maybe that’s why there’s a child featured in the first frame of the Vimeo, children are very susceptible to this. If they are working on a research project, it’s possible they may fall into this trap. They may interpret a passage as factual when it’s actually attempting to influence.
What schools need within their curriculum, and I believe many parents would welcome this, is a program/class about everything that’s available via the internet. And this includes a great deal. Never, in the history of men, have we had such a huge accumulation of material available within seconds at our fingertips.Some of which will benefit men and much of which will injure them.
However, this is specifically about hidden agendas and if the site’s purpose is to inform or persuade. Schools generally explain there are 3 main purposes for writing: persuasion, entertainment, or information. Language Arts classes teach students to make a distinction between these 3.
Hidden agendas are a bit more complex, but in the age of computers, it’s a necessity to be able to decipher them. It’s not just about racist agenda either. You could literally lose thousands of dollars by misinterpreting the purpose of the site. You could end up engaged in illegal activity because you don’t understand the true intent of the site.
No, the internet is not an introduction to Utopia. It’s a very candid reflection of a flawed society, and the shortcomings of men.Therefore, it needs to be used with awareness.
Thanks, Jessie, great video. Systemic racism IS in every nook and cranny of “advanced” and “high-tech” societies. Only the ideology and white framing hides that reality from the many who claim we are post-racist……
Incredible Jessie! Incredible!
I’ve come across my share of “cloaked” sites. Sites hosted by Stormfront, American Renaissance, and others. It’s the little things that give them away – like the pic of MLK. The big things like “slaves had high self-esteem” are like big, red, waving flags. Though, it is saddening that one of the top MLK sites is a cloaked site.
What I appreciate most, personally, is the highlight on the glaringly obvious. The things that make you say, “Duh!” once they’re brought to your attention. Things like people search for racist terms and sites. “Oh duh!”
Kudos.
This week we all had a chance to see just how racism in the Digital age can have devastating results. Youtube uploaded a clip from the movie Innocence of Muslims and it has sparked an outcry from Muslims around the world Youtube yells they are exercising freedom of speech while the followers of Islam fill the streets in protest.These protests are spreading from country to country and what I don’t understand is why Youtube continues to run these shortened versions of that awful movie on their website. And the comment sections under the movie are nothing more that hate filled anti-Islamic cyber war zones that is drawing huge numbers of people into a giant digital conflict. Youtube has always allowed racists to express their hostilities towards Blacks Hispanics and Native Americans they don’t censor racist nicknames and foul language.If you want to see American white racism at it’s worse forget Storm front or any hate group website, just visit Youtube and see how white racists post under many African American videos dealing with vital Black issues.I hope someday they can be stopped legally. I’m truly sorry for Islamic followers, this thoughtless and inconsiderate video upload didn’t have to happen but it did, and the trouble it unleashed is beyond belief! I hope the government can find a way for this type activity to be put to an end.