In this Stage Talk we discuss extremism on digital gaming platforms with experts Rachel Kowert and Linda Schlegel. We talk about how and why extremists are using digital gaming spaces for radicalisation and mobilisation efforts, but also about prevention efforts to stop extremists from exploiting these gaming communities.

You can find Linda and Rachel's book here: https://www.routledge.com/Gaming-and-Extremism-The-Radicalization-of-Digital-Playgrounds/Schlegel-Kowert/p/book/9781032482996

Other links that were mentioned in the talk:
https://www.takethis.org/2024/05/resilient-resources/
https://www.stopspying.org/banned-for-being
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUoIVZ3vEHk
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2024/mar/08/gamergate-trolls-woke-game-consultants
https://www.isdglobal.org/explainers/discord-extremism/
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.9783/9780812206791/html?lang=de

This talk was recorded on June 20th, 2024 in the Bellingcat Discord Server. To join the server, download Discord and visit www.discord.gg/bellingcat . Music courtesy of Artlist.

"Extremism in Gaming Spaces" with Rachel Kowert and Linda Schlegel

In this week's Stage Talk we talked about the impact of the Israel-Gaza conflict on cultural heritage sites and how as open source researchers, we can help to monitor the scale of destruction. 

The discussion was based around our latest documentary with Scripps News, which you can watch in full here: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/06/26/gaza-israel-destroy-destruction-damage-cultural-history-heritage-archaeology-conflict-war/

Links that were mentioned in the talk: 

Tools: 

Planet https://www.planet.com/

Sentinel Hub https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser/

Google Earth https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/earth/about/versions/

Ollie Ballinger's damage probability map tool of Gaza: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/11/15/a-new-tool-allows-researchers-to-track-damage-in-gaza/

Wikimapia: https://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=31.283135&lon=34.257388&z=15&m=w

Annique's analysing satellite imagery to monitor settlements, video guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwVOE-IpAs4&list=PLq6cQ--4f90jOkNfpOWScZOzji6aAVXDR&index=5

Relevant research:

Bosnia research into mosque destruction: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/bosnias-mosques-without-muslims/

The Byzantine mosaic mentioned by Jake, detailing protection efforts: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/emergency-safeguarding-recently-discovered-al-bureij-mosaics-gaza 

Jake's X thread on the demolition of the mosaic https://x.com/JakeGodin/status/1805965185653395721

Archival photo of Gaza: https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https://www.gda.bayern.de/mets/2b61e87a-b623-4009-80d9-0f5e7c9b7da8

Bellingcat's previous investigation into domicide in Gaza via following the 8219 IDF unit. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/04/29/weve-become-addicted-to-explosions-the-idf-unit-responsible-for-demolishing-homes-across-gaza/

CNN's Jeremy Diamond visits a destroyed graveyard: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/01/29/idf-gaza-graveyard-destruction-diamond-pkg-lead-vpx.cnn

Kyl-Bingaman Amendment (US Law) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyl–Bingaman_Amendment#:~:text=The%20Kyl–Bingaman%20Amendment%20(KBA,outside%20of%20the%20United%20States. 

Documentary covering damage to Ukraine's cultural heritage sites by Bellingcat and Scripps News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HiGgcuB2y4



Organisations referenced that are monitoring the destruction of heritage sites in Gaza and other conflicts:

EAMENA: https://www.eamena.org/

Heritage for Peace: https://www.heritageforpeace.org/

Aliph Foundation: https://www.aliph-foundation.org/

Caucus Heritage Center (Cornell) https://caucasusheritage.cornell.edu/

This talk was recorded on July 3rd, 2024 in the Bellingcat Discord Server. To join the server, download Discord and visit www.discord.gg/bellingcat . Music courtesy of Artlist.

"Mapping the destruction of cultural heritage sites in Gaza"- with the Bellingcat team

This week we were joined on stage by Aram Shabanian, the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at the New Lines Institute and long time Bellingcat contributor. Aram shared a long list of interesting open source tools that citizens and journalists alike can use to monitor wildfires. 

Find the full list of tools shared by Aram here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SJHzw5cSenCvEq7iGEyhHhRKAHq1vOcVlJy4sYAcchM/edit?gid=0#gid=0

And additional tools referenced in the chat here: 

Aram's livestream guide https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/11/09/using-livestreams-to-monitor-crises-in-gaza-and-beyond/

Look up your local area's wildfire pocket card with this link: https://www.wildfire.gov/wims/pocket-card-table

Bellingcat's OSINT Forest area tracker https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/08/18/a-new-tool-shows-what-war-has-done-to-ukraines-forests/

Canadian map resource shared by an audience member:  https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/interactive-map

OnXMaps: https://www.onxmaps.com/ 

Link to our Discord channel for tool idea pitches: https://discord.com/channels/709752884257882135/1173992891945861160

Wildcad.net: http://www.wildcad.net/WildCADWeb.asp

Oregon specific references: 

Odffire  https://odffire.com/

Arcgis view: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f33f06a3c376/?fbclid=IwAR2HH7Zxyi-vqihq8pWQJKzynrFK19bKFow-VjTAn3Puz6lZtHpz5JrTgP4

Inciweb https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/

Oregon Dept of Forestry Course: https://odftraining.thinkific.com/courses/media-access

The IMSR report shows national fire deployments in the US. In the off season it's updated every Friday. Peak fire season it's daily. : https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday the 18th of July in the Bellingcat Discord server. Music courtesy of Artlist.

“Tracking Wildfires Using Open Sources” with Aram Shabanian

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