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“ When the arguments behind the conspiracy theory are paired with a feeling of being a part of a group of chosen people it becomes very emotional and makes it less important that the argument behind the conspiracy theory is poor . This is where the platforms have succeeded : The users feel empowered because they ’ re the chosen ones – if they were not they would look like idiots . And no one wants to look like an idiot , so better to double down on the narrative , than to challenge it ,” Mogensen says .
To a certain extent we see the same type of countercultures develop in Denmark for example with regards to sceptics of the Corona virus .
“ When established experts are not willing to have a conversation with the sceptics it will be interpreted by the sceptics that the experts are afraid of that conversation . That is why the soft solution to these challenges is to actually have the conversation . Not necessarily to acknowledge their beliefs , but to acknowledge their feelings . When people say they are demonstrating against the lockdown rules it is an act of desperation . It is something you do to regain a sense of control . It is about acknowledging that there is a conversation we need to have whether we agree on the starting point or not ,” Mogensen says .
Balancing on a knife edge Platforms like 4chan and 8kun don ’ t just create a space for a culture of distrust and conspiracy theories . They are also used by destructive environments where terrorist attacks , school shootings and digital harassment are discussed and , in some cases , planned . This calls into question whether this should even be possible and when we need to act .
“ We know that if we close down these environments and say they can ’ t have the conversation then the platform will be moved to a more inaccessible place where it is more difficult to keep an eye on these people . When we shut down websites the users move further and further into the dark web . It is relatively easy to monitor groups on Facebook , it is a bit more complicated on 4chan , very difficult on 8kun and when we are on the dark web it is almost impossible . It is a balancing act ,” Mogensen says .
According to him there are both a technological and pedagogical argument to not shut down the platforms because the alternative is that users only have conversations with each other in a destructive environment without any possibility of monitoring .
Weird : a thing of the past But 4chan and 8kun are not just based on destructive environments . The platforms are also examples of ‘ the pure internet ’.
“ We know that people have a need to belong and these platforms can be used for that . One of the amazing things about the internet is that you are never the weird one . If you don ’ t fit into a physical group , you can find another group online who also thinks that Czech stamps from 1983-84 with images of butterflies are the most incredible thing in the world . That is one of the amazing things about the internet ; you are never weird anymore . Now we have a shared responsibility to try and lead and form the conversation , so it doesn ’ t end up in counterculture , smashed windows and terrorist attacks ,” Mogensen says .
He also points out that distrust isn ’ t necessarily a bad thing – we should always have a healthy dose of scepticism .
“ We are the smartest generation of people to ever have ever existed . We need to question everything . But of course , we need to do that using democratic tools and science . The good thing about science and logic is that it ’ s not about how you ’ re feeling . We need to challenge the people in power . But we don ’ t have to burn down the platform of democracy to do so ,” says Mogensen .
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