[liberationtech] Social Media Combatants

[Gregory Foster]

YouTube (Dec 20) - "Israel: Unlawful Attacks on Palestinian Media" by 
Human Rights Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz4gcp78Ix4

Documents HRW's on-the-ground research into Israeli targeting of 
journalists during the November 2012 war.  The 3.5 minute video excerpts 
an Al Jazeera interview in which Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev 
advocates interpreting the broadcast of "command and control" 
information as criteria for distinguishing "legitimate" journalists 
protected by international law from non-legitimate journalists who can 
be regarded as combatants and targeted as such.

gf


> Australian Strategic Policy Institute blog "The Strategist" (Dec 13) - 
> "Are social media users now legitimate targets?" by Chloe Diggins:
> http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/are-social-media-users-now-legitimate-targets/
>
> Diggins is a Research and Analysis Officer in the Australian Army's 
> Directorate of Army Research and Analysis (DARA) Land Warfare Studies 
> Centre (LWSC):
> http://www.army.gov.au/our-future/DARA/LWSC
>
> In the blog post, which is qualified as Diggins' personal opinion 
> rather than the established policy of her institution, Diggins 
> reflects on what is characterized as "Israel and Hamas' recent social 
> media war":
>
>> Whether social media is making an effective contribution or not 
>> remains to be seen. However, by creating and perpetuating a narrative 
>> that influences public opinion, social media is contributing to a 
>> defined military operation and has become integral to the information 
>> and communication space. As a legitimate part of the conflict, social 
>> media (and its users) becomes a valid military objective.
>
>
> HT @MartinHume via @cencio4:
> http://twitter.com/cencio4/status/280420701599571970
>
> gf

-- 
Gregory Foster || gfoster at entersection.org
@gregoryfoster <> http://entersection.com/