Is the Internet promoting the "globalisation of hate"

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Q.� The upside of the web is that almost anyone can use it to simply and quickly exchange information.�
But in the aftermath of the terror attacks on New York and Washington, hundreds of racist websites have been launched. Is this the price for the freedom of Internet DIY

A.� The trouble with a free-for-all, is that it is free to all.� That means the material published on the web ranges from the valuable to the virulent.� Not only can you not prevent fanatics publishing hateful material - you can't stop them reading your opinions and forming their own crazy opinions about you or your website. Anybody can see what you do.

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Q.� For instance

A.� The current� campaign against the Taliban and Bin Laden has turned a sharp spotlight on areas of the world that were previously in the shadows.� Afghan Online (www.afghan-web.com) a largely low-volume site based in San Francisco has suddenly found itself at the top of the big search engines.

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Q.� And this means

A.� That not only to do you have to cope with the load now slamming into the server stacked in your bedroom, you have to take the abuse and the sabotage that is thrown your way. Biologist Abdullah Qaziwas six when his family fled Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion. He set up the website five years ago, with the help of his two brothers.
Since September 11th, thousands of message have flooded in to the site - and many have been death threats.

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Q.� Who from

A.� That's the catch - from those opposed to the Taliban and those who back them!
The Taliban themselves hate the site for its savage accounts of how women are treated under the regime. But many visitors have thought the site represents the Taliban government (which it doesn't). So the irate on both sides of the divide are sending the hate message.

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Q.� What kind of messages

A.� "People were telling me to shut down the site. We've had death threats, hacks to the site. We're still in a sort of state of security right now, where we're still watching for denial of service attacks on our server.� We'll have e-mail bombs, where they send 5,000 or 6,000 e-mails all at once, or e-mails with virus attachments. But we' have also had some positive responses, people that actually read the site and go, ' OK, well, we know what you're really about,' "� he said.
Meanwhile, Barbara Lee, the only� person in Congress to vote against the president's "war on terrorism" has received death threats from across the country.�
Canada has shut down dozens of sites under its anti-racism legislation. In Australia In Australia, the Jewish anti-racist watch group, the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission says hate-speech is flourishing in the age of the internet.
Countless cases have been reported to Hate Watch in the US, including anti-Muslim chat room postings and emailed death threats to Islamic and Jewish organisations.
"The internet has allowed individuals to reach a mass audience," ADC director of research and public affairs, Benseon Apple said.

Q.� Isn't this just a special case

A.� A dramatic case, perhaps, but not remotely unique. Spreading information can be dangerous.

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Q.� So more examples

A.� Aside from libelling people, breaching copyright (and make no mistake the big boys really do set lawyers on the little people) doctors and scientists are under particular attack.� Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which monitors extremist anti-abortion literature and Web sites for about 1,000 U.S. clinics, said Waagner believes everyone in an abortion clinic is in a "war zone" and is fair game.� Not only do people publish agrressive material, they use company websites to find out information that helps them target attacks.
And last year a US court� threw out a jury's verdict against anti-abortion activists who exposed a national list of doctors to violence by posting their names, addresses and photos on the Internet.
Names of people connected to the industry who had been murdered were crossed out. The names of the wounded were shaded in gray.
In Britain Animal Rights activists are disputing legal action� after publishing the names, addresses and home telephone numbers of the company's scientists and directors on the internet.

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Q.� So you really do expose yourself to anyone when you publish on the net

A.� You bet. Terrorists, activists, bigots, the mentally unstable - and even the Mafia get in on the business of using the web to find out information and in turn send messages of hate.
The internet is where you can publish and very much be damned. so let's be careful out there.

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Q.� Anything good you can name
A.� One American women put an escort service on the web -� offering men the 'services' of young females� for $250 an hour. She was deluged with offers to save her soul.