Prompt Cast
Uncovering the Complexities of Al-Qaeda and ISIS Through Online Engagement
TLDR Rukmini Kalamaki delves into the world of Al-Qaeda and ISIS by studying uncensored documents and engaging with sympathizers online, discovering the complexity of their thinking and their unprecedented use of the internet. Despite facing challenges and accusations, Kalamaki forms online acquaintances with Jihadists who value factual reporting.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Rukmini Kalamaki, a reporter for the New York Times, accesses dangerous and unknowable worlds by using the internet to study uncensored documents left behind by Al-Qaeda in Timbuktu.
03:18
Rukmini Kalamaki gains insight into the thinking of Al-Qaeda militants through uncensored documents, realizing that they have a system of thought and are more complex than she initially thought, while also discovering that Al-Qaeda and ISIS are using the internet in unprecedented ways.
06:48
Rukmini Kalamaki engages with ISIS sympathizers online, many of whom are young and use unpolished language, and tries to get them to talk to her by fact-checking their claims and asking them to explain their actions.
10:16
Rukmini Kalamaki is often blocked by ISIS sympathizers on Twitter and is accused of being a spy, but she has formed online acquaintances with Jihadists who want her to get the facts of her stories right, although there are limits to what they can talk about.
13:18
Rukmini Kalamaki, a journalist who covers ISIS, has to watch beheading videos as part of her job and sees a new one every couple of days, but she tries to shield herself from the worst parts of the videos.
16:59
The host tries to cancel a recurring appointment with a company called Handy but finds it impossible to do so through their website, prompting them to reach out to the company for answers.
20:15
The host tries to cancel a recurring appointment with Handy but finds it impossible to do so through their website, prompting them to reach out to the company for answers and is told that customers are not able to cancel recurring bookings online because the company wants to speak with them to offer promotions and discounts.
24:01
Handy apologizes for the experience and says they are piloting different cancellation options, including through the app for recurring bookings.
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Technology
Society & Culture
