Counter-narratives and Info Ops: Debating Jihadi YouTube Videos

[Rex Brynen]

If anyone has ever followed the quality of "debates" on YouTube, they'll see the immediate flaw with the notion that you could use it as a forum to counter jihadist propaganda...

...namely, that any intelligent counter-argument that one might frame and post would soon be lost in the deluge of marginally semi-literate racist anti-Muslim posts by other YouTube users. These, in turn, would only strengthen the jihadist narrative that we're in the midst of a civilizational war, with Islam pitted against a hostile (and rather moronic) West.

YouTube political discussions probably rank among the stupidest, most depressing things on the planet. I sometimes want to shower after accidentally reading them.

[Taiko]

If anyone has ever followed the quality of "debates" on YouTube, they'll see the immediate flaw with the notion that you could use it as a forum to counter jihadist propaganda...

...namely, that any intelligent counter-argument that one might frame and post would soon be lost in the deluge of marginally semi-literate racist anti-Muslim posts by other YouTube users. These, in turn, would only strengthen the jihadist narrative that we're in the midst of a civilizational war, with Islam pitted against a hostile (and rather moronic) West.

YouTube political discussions probably rank among the stupidest, most depressing things on the planet. I sometimes want to shower after accidentally reading them.

We are also assuming that fanatical islamist will conduct a 'rational' debate on the 'flaws' in their argument with westerners.