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This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

KPCC Archive

Jewish organization develops app to track hate websites, offers it to LA law enforcement

An example of the "Digital Terror + Hate" app, describing an anti-Jewish website.
An example of the "Digital Terror + Hate" app, describing an anti-Jewish website.
(
Simon Wiesenthal Center
)

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Jewish organization develops app to track hate websites, offers it to LA law enforcement

Los Angeles’ Simon Wiesenthal Center has developed an app to help shut down hate-mongering pages and forums on various social networking sites. They've now offered the tool to law enforcement agencies for the first time.

The center’s Rabbi Abraham Cooper gives Facebook an “A” grade for the way it polices haters — but the marks for YouTube are less satisfactory.

“The people who are committed to do these terrible kinds of acts, they’re indefatigable," says Cooper. "If you shut them down in one place, they will try and get through another way. So the reason for the C- is that YouTube has done some things. It needs to do a lot more.”

The Wiesenthal Center released the "Digital Terrorism and Hate" Internet application to L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca during a news conference.

With cyber-hate on the rise, Baca says the app can give his department and others information on thousands of websites and social networking forums worth monitoring.

The Center has also released its Wiesenthal Center Report on Digital Terrorism and Hate that tracks social network pages, videos and games that promote hate against people based on their ethnicity, religion or sexuality.

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