YouTube and the "fake" obituary
What's it like to find yourself the subject of a threatening video on YouTube? to police over a video on YouTube titled, "In Memory of Councillor Alan Craig". Councillor Craig interprets the video, made in the style of an obituary, as a "death threat" directed at him because of his . Councillor Craig, who , describes the video and his reaction to it in the audio below:
the group behind the Abbeymills mosque have condemned the video. It is also worth noting that prior to this incident the . Hafiz Mumtaz is a spokesperson for the mosque's supporters:
In both these interviews Craig and Mumtaz express a desire to talk and negotiate in a peaceful and open manner. Although the web does provide a ready platform for extreme views, in the past I've found that the web can also be a powerful tool for bringing people together, even those on opposite sides of a violent conflict (I remember once facilitating the first phone conversation between an Iraqi mother and the mother of a US soldier who had become friends onlline). The question, which is a pertinent one for politicians, religious groups and even the lone blogger in their bedroom, is how to encourage civil dialogue online and keep and extremists at bay. Answers on a postcard please.
UPDATE: I spoke to the young man who created the video. That interview is below: ++
++ UPDATE 19th November 2207 ++ : This interview is no longer available. This matter is now subject to a police investigation and, following legal advice, we have removed this particular piece of audio.
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