YouTube and the "fake" obituary
What's it like to find yourself the subject of a threatening video on YouTube? to police over a video on YouTube titled, "In Memory of Councillor Alan Craig". Councillor Craig interprets the video, made in the style of an obituary, as a "death threat" directed at him because of his . Councillor Craig, who , describes the video and his reaction to it in the audio below:
the group behind the Abbeymills mosque have condemned the video. It is also worth noting that prior to this incident the . Hafiz Mumtaz is a spokesperson for the mosque's supporters:
In both these interviews Craig and Mumtaz express a desire to talk and negotiate in a peaceful and open manner. Although the web does provide a ready platform for extreme views, in the past I've found that the web can also be a powerful tool for bringing people together, even those on opposite sides of a violent conflict (I remember once facilitating the first phone conversation between an Iraqi mother and the mother of a US soldier who had become friends onlline). The question, which is a pertinent one for politicians, religious groups and even the lone blogger in their bedroom, is how to encourage civil dialogue online and keep and extremists at bay. Answers on a postcard please.
UPDATE: I spoke to the young man who created the video. That interview is below:
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Chris
Sad for Alan Craig. Little consolation but there are some poor specimens of human-kind about
Pity Chris, "YouTube" wasn't around when "your" then Member of Parliament friend, John Stonehouse was "performing"...
I've a feeling he'd have developed the "YT" idea. Maybe even used it in his own scheme
Just looking-up Stonehouse on Wikipedia, I saw the wonderful "Private Eye" front page caricature of Stonehouse (at the time of his arrest) standing in front of and presumably using, a Gentleman's latrine in a public toilet.
"Stonehouse" appears to be hancuffed to a Police Officer to "Stonehouse's" left who, by necessity was also standing in front of the adjoing latrine with his right hand in close proximity to "Stonehouse's" left hand which was employed... (quite right, let's not go there...)
The Private Eye "description" reads:
"Missing Member Held"
Complain about this postWe have already expressed our abhorence towards any incitment to violence, and this video was just not appropriate.
However, we were surprised when, four days after the incident became public, the video was still up on YouTube.
Naturally, we suggested to YouTube that they take it down, and they did immediately.
Which begs the question - why had someone else not asked YouTube the same question?
Complain about this post