PRESS RELEASE

For the past few years, Professor Cohen-Almagor is conducting a comparative research in new media, law and ethics with the aim of exploring challenges made with the use of the Internet for Britain, and offering principles to address these challenges. The research has direct implications to policy making. The main concerns are with violent speech that is geared to violent action: terrorism and child-pornography. Terrorists and child-pornographers use clandestine methods to promote their illegal ends. This research aims to explore the ways they utilize the Internet to promote violent ends, and what can be done to counter such speech. While employing pertinent theories (media ethics, the democratic catch, moral panic, moral and social responsibility), jurisprudence (advocacy v. incitement, true threats, intimidation) and examining British and American case studies, Prof. Cohen-Almagor explores the pros and cons of the different strategies that Britain may use in combating such problematic expressions on the Internet. Among these strategies are: education, tolerance, oversight, monitoring, liability of Internet providers, imposing business ban, filtering, International cooperation, censorship, prohibition, and shutting down websites.

The main research questions are:

  1. Should we protect Internet speech more than other forms of speech?
  2. How do terrorist and criminals use the Internet and for what purposes?
  3. What measures were taken by Britain to combat terrorism and child pornography? How justified are those measures?
  4. Should Internet Service Providers and web-hosting companies be held accountable for content on their networks and Web pages?
  5. What kind of international cooperation is required to make any kind of policy effective given the international nature of the Internet?

This research is designed to fill the existing literature lacuna. It is innovative, aimed at offering far-sighted insight (different raison d'être, new framework of thinking, possibly new technology) incorporating interdisciplinary approach that examines theories in media ethics, law, applications of new media, and public policy considerations. In the foci of analysis are Internet violent expressions that are designed to promote aggressive, anti-social activities. This research addresses ethical and legal concerns that found new manifestations in new technology. The Internet is not the problem: the problem arises where it is utilized to undermine our well-being as autonomous beings living in free societies. This study focuses on articulating possible solutions to specific problems and on providing a framework within which these problems can be identified and resolved. It strives to suggest an approach informed by the experiences of Britain and the USA, one that harnesses the unique strengths and abilities of the public and private sectors in reaching viable, practical solutions to these problems. In this respect, this research fits in with the broader discussion on the blurred boundaries between private and public in an era of new technologies.

This research probes the ways terrorists and child-pornographers are using the Internet. On the Web you find speech designed to promote violence and criminal activities. There are manuals explaining how to become a successful terrorist, how to make weapons, teaching methods to destroy and to kill. Many websites, hosted by western Internet providers, glorify terrorists' attacks, seek donations, and lay the foundations for cyber-terrorism. Specifically, recruitment of potential suicide bombers via the Internet, and bomb-making recipes that are easily and readily accessible, pose tangible and immediate concerns. To what extent are terrorist organizations successful in recruiting people? Interactive communication on the internet, such as chat rooms, became a central component in the activities of terrorists and child pornographers. They offer child sexual offenders additional means of accessing children.

Ends

In his inaugural lecture, Professor Cohen-Almagor will explain how members of Al-Quaeda communicate on the Internet and how paedophiles access child pornography without being traced. He will make further recommendations, explore potential remedies from education, ISPs’ responsibilities and international collaboration between NGOs and governments, and conclude by suggesting a new platform, which he terms CleaNet, that will filter criminal and violent material.

For press enquiries, please contact Claire Mulley on: 01482 466943 or 07809 585965 or e-mail Claire Mulley

Professor Cohen-Almagor’s powerpoint presentation for his inaugural lecture is available on request.

Notes to Editors

About the research

This is a comprehensive research on four phenomena: terror, child pornography, hate and violent crimes on the internet.
The research is interdisciplinary, combining the areas of ethics, law, politics and new media.

About Raphael Cohen – Almagor

Raphael Cohen-Almagor received his D. Phil. in political theory from Oxford University (1991). In 1992-1995 he lectured at the Hebrew University Law Faculty. He has served in various organizations, including as Co-Founder and Chairperson of "The Second Generation to the Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance" Organization in Israel (1985-1987); Founder and Director of the Medical Ethics Think-tank at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute (1995-1998); member of the Israel Press Council (1997-2000), Chairperson of Library and Information Studies (2000-2003) and Founder and Director of the Center for Democratic Studies, both at the University of Haifa (2003-2007). Cohen-Almagor was Fulbright Visiting Professor at UCLA School of Law and Dept. of Communication (1999-2000), Visiting Professor at Johns Hopkins University (2003-2004), Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (2007-2008), and (Acting) Deputy Dean for Research in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Hull (2008-2009). Presently he is Professor and Chair in Politics and is also involved in the launching of the Hull new MA Journalism Programme. Cohen-Almagor has published fifteen books, including two poetry books and his profile appears in many Books of Distinction, including Outstanding People of the 20th Century; Who's Who in the World; The International Directory of Distinguished Leadership; Contemporary Who's Who; American Biography; Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare; Biography Fame International; Contemporary Who's Who of Professionals; Biography Today; The Contemporary Who's Who of Professionals; Distinguished and Admirable Achievers.

About the University of Hull

The University of Hull is one of the world’s top 500 universities and is well known for the discovery of liquid crystals, for which the Department of Chemistry received the Queen’s Award for evolutionary biology. Philip Larkin, one of the greatest English poets of the twentieth century, was the University’s librarian for 30 years and he wrote some of his most celebrated works at the University. Famous alumni include: Lord Dearing, Roger McGough CBE, John McCarthy and Anthony Minghella.