The British government may be deploying a new weapon against terrorists: Google.According to the tec...

1. Report: Britain to Use Google Against Terrorists
The British government may be deploying a new weapon against terrorists: Google.
According to the tech-related news site The Register, the Home Office's Office for Security and
Counter Terrorism plans to work with "approved" Islamist Web sites to "flood the Internet" with pro-
Western viewpoints.
It will train the operators of the pro-Western sites in search-engine optimization, an arcane strategy
that basically makes sure your site is near the top of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft LiveSearch results
pages.
That way, young British Muslims searching online for say, "jihad," will get pro-Western Web sites
instead of Al Qaeda mouthpieces, or so the theory goes.
"In order to support mainstream voices, we work with local partners to help develop their
communication, representational and leadership skills," an unnamed Home Office spokesman told
The Register. "This support could include media training, which can help make their voices heard
more widely, and support the development of skills which allow communities to be more effective in
debate."
In fact, a Google search for "jihad" comes up with only two radical Islamist links out of the first 10
returned. But it's possible the British government effort could make it zero.
Then again, a recent study by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political
Violence (ICSR) doubted that curbing Islamist material online would have much impact on terrorist
activity.
"It is unlikely that any but the most callow wannabe terrorist would use a mainstream search engine
to find banned material," wrote the report entitled "Countering Online Radicalization."
A call and e-mail placed to the Home Office seeking comment were not immediately answered.
o Click here to read the original report in The Register.
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