The number of right-wing extremist websites in Germany is rising, with a group charged with youth protection warning that the internet has become the leading platform for right-wing extremist propaganda.
Germany's right-wing extremist scene is developing a professional, media-savvy internet presence, according to Jugendschutz.de, an internet watch group for German youth.
With 1,707 neo-Nazi websites currently available on the World Wide Web, Stefan what we need is a controversial debate to bring about more democracy on the net. We need the web community to take part in the process to get these websites shut downGlaser, who heads the watchdog, says right-wing groups have quickly learned how to use the internet to their advantage.
"They have websites which are quite modern, which are hip, which are interesting for young people. Videos and music are important factors, and they use all the common web 2.0 platforms: social networks and video platforms to put out their propaganda," he says.
One of the main problems, according to Glaser, is the level of sophistication. Colorful and subtle web portals mean that young people, the target audience, often don't know they are viewing a neo-Nazi site.
Shutting down far right
Glaser's group, an initiative funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (BPB) and active since 2000, works specifically to root out websites deemed to be targeting young people. Most commonly, Jugendschutz.de contacts the web provider, who can pull the offending material. If the internet portal is illegal, the watchdog passes the details on to the police, who can press charges.
Despite small successes, there are still more than 1,500 active, illegal websites and no sign that the right's internet presence is on the decline.
Thomas Krueger, the BPB's head, says more people need to get involved in fighting right-wing extremism online. "I think extremism is part of our open society and we cannot have a society without extremism, but what we need is a controversial debate to bring about more democracy on the net. We need the web community to take part in the process to get these websites shut down," he says.
Fight continues
Both the BPB and Jugendschutz.de have called for more public education, while they themselves offer workshops to teach young people how to identify right-wing extremist groups.
Jugendschutz.de can claim a measure of success. In 2008, 80 percent of German right-wing extremist online material that was liable under federal law was removed from within Germany and from websites abroad. continues here
Germany's right-wing extremist scene is developing a professional, media-savvy internet presence, according to Jugendschutz.de, an internet watch group for German youth.
With 1,707 neo-Nazi websites currently available on the World Wide Web, Stefan what we need is a controversial debate to bring about more democracy on the net. We need the web community to take part in the process to get these websites shut downGlaser, who heads the watchdog, says right-wing groups have quickly learned how to use the internet to their advantage.
"They have websites which are quite modern, which are hip, which are interesting for young people. Videos and music are important factors, and they use all the common web 2.0 platforms: social networks and video platforms to put out their propaganda," he says.
One of the main problems, according to Glaser, is the level of sophistication. Colorful and subtle web portals mean that young people, the target audience, often don't know they are viewing a neo-Nazi site.
Shutting down far right
Glaser's group, an initiative funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (BPB) and active since 2000, works specifically to root out websites deemed to be targeting young people. Most commonly, Jugendschutz.de contacts the web provider, who can pull the offending material. If the internet portal is illegal, the watchdog passes the details on to the police, who can press charges.
Despite small successes, there are still more than 1,500 active, illegal websites and no sign that the right's internet presence is on the decline.
Thomas Krueger, the BPB's head, says more people need to get involved in fighting right-wing extremism online. "I think extremism is part of our open society and we cannot have a society without extremism, but what we need is a controversial debate to bring about more democracy on the net. We need the web community to take part in the process to get these websites shut down," he says.
In some cases internet users have managed to close down sites by bombarding them from other web portals.
Fight continues
Both the BPB and Jugendschutz.de have called for more public education, while they themselves offer workshops to teach young people how to identify right-wing extremist groups.
Jugendschutz.de can claim a measure of success. In 2008, 80 percent of German right-wing extremist online material that was liable under federal law was removed from within Germany and from websites abroad. continues here
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