Americans Warned To "Scrub" Their Social Media Posts To Avoid Upsetting Terrorists. HELL NO!

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
a reply to: Hefficide

I don't view this request so much as an act of "practicing cowardice" as much as "practicing peace".

I think it is wise to respect the obvious hypersensitivities of another culture.

Americans are a very warlike people....ISIS/ISIL are very warlike peoples. What sense then does it do to continue verbal hostilities with a culture that has proven to take up arms and shed innocent blood over mere words?

Some cultures take that kind of thing very deeply to heart and proof that their enemy should be exterminated. Being a more "mature" civilization, I think it would be wise and prudent to do everything in our power to avoid conflicts whenever and however possible.

Right now it's still kids on the schoolyard tormenting the younger kids who have proven to have extreme anger issues.

You wouldn't walk up to an angry wild tiger an start yelling at it while whipping and beating it would you?

If it was threatening violence and or death on me or mine I would not yell or whip it, I WOULD KILL IT!!!!!!It would die where it stands.

Same for terrorists thugs murderers rapists etc.

Peacful intent does not beget peace, threat of force does. Ask the gentle hunny badger. Even lions and wolf packs stear clear of them.

Only the meek and the weak get preyed upon and these guys are predators.

Chose....badger or gazelle......which has a higher chance of being dinner?

a reply to: oblvion

I thought we were above the animals. I thought we were humans capable of logic and reason over base instinct.

Oh well. So it goes.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
a reply to: oblvion

I thought we were above the animals. I thought we were humans capable of logic and reason over base instinct.

Oh well. So it goes.

Yes because we share nothing with them at all right.

Not like we all eat claim territory defend our young try to live....honestly we have nothing in common right?

These people cant be reasoned with, we have tried for hundreds of years and 6 under obama to greater extent.

They only saw obamas policies as weakness.

Even clinton would not have allowed isis to gain foot hold.

You cant negotiat with a lion.

Honestly, from your view we could have talked WW2into ending.

I long for your imagined world, but that is all it is....imaginary.


Inthe real world force and the threat of force rule all at all times. Hence police viruses predators prey getting fired getting fined etc......

Closing ones eyes and ignoring reality doesnt change it.....it will still be there if you open your eyes or not.

BTW you used the animal analogy.........now you want to act like it isnt relavent. Keep up here some of us have already thought this through rationally many times from all angles.

We don't negotiate with terrorists. And social media doesn't create terror attacks...unless you are in Bengazi

Actually, I see this happening more and more, and directed more to the general public, coming soon.
Look what just happened, supposedly by North Korea/China maybe, with the hacking of the movies and all that other information.

If all of this keeps happening, the Canadian killing, the hacking of Hollywood, ect. Seems like a perfectly legitimate excuse to "tighten" the internet and free speech on it. Because we as the general public, can't control ourselves and should not be allowed to "offend" anyone that may hurt us.


Complete BS, but I can see the government thinking that way.

ATS members already appear to be scrubbing their accounts because of this.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I also think, if I were a military person, knowing that the US military members are being targeted and killed, I would appreciate the warning. The FBI didn't issue a directive and an order, they issued a warning and a suggestion. No one is scrubbing these accounts without permission...

I understand being outraged at the idea of giving into the terrorists, but all I see is the FBI informing and suggesting. I'm just glad I don't do any social media besides ATS and a dog board. People should KNOW that what they post on the Internet can be used against them. Some people are too trusting...

And if people on ATS started dying as a result of ISIS, you better believe I'd appreciate a warning.

originally posted by: CagliostroTheGreat
ATS members already appear to be scrubbing their accounts because of this.

Nah .. it would take a hell of a lot more than that for me to scrub my ats account .. as to the rest of social media never used it and never will have better things to occupy my time with..

Our so called government spout simular rubbish
However like with your own vets
Some of my own famley fought and died
Defending my and your right to say what ever the
**** i dam well please i this upsets some
Fundamentalist moron somewhere
Well tough titty bub.

If you are in a dry forest, where a single spark can cause a lot of devastation, do you light a fire?

You guys over there haven't gold a hold of this properly it seems, UK armed forces faced a similar problem with the IRA who carried out targetted campaigns and assassinatons. Soldiers went to great lengths to protect both themselves and their families. They were briefed to report anything suspicious, and check their cars every single day for explosive devices. And that was before social media.

This isn't something you can smash down by shouting loudly at it.. This is something that appears out of the blue, kills randomly and then disappears again. Painting a target on your back is not a good idea, and considering that most peoples idea of privacy on social media is not giving out their inside leg measurement, there are thousands and thousands of targets just sitting out there, with locations, pictures and family ties for all to see.

The advice isn't appeasement, its common sense.

a reply to: neformore

I agree in theory, but the slippery slope I'm staring down forces me to respectfully disagree. I do not think it common sense at all.

The object of terrorism is to induce terror ( fear ) in a population. If that act can be accomplished by simply stating that they'll track down anyone who posts negatively about them on a social media website - and we, as a society buy into it. Then we've lost regardless of whatever else is happening. Bombs kill. Fear makes slaves.

I'm as liberal and accepting as others as anyone else in this world. Race, gender, religion, ethnicity mean nothing to me. But when it's suggested to me that I should temper my opinion out of fear??? Well many of my high schools bullies can attest to the fact that it just doesn't work with me. I'll stand my ground even while getting my ass properly kicked.

Principles mean something. Freedom of expression and speech is a fundamental right and a principle worth risking ones life for.

why does ever topic on ATS give me Déjà vu ?

a reply to: Hefficide

Let me put it this way...

You can express all the opinions you want on a social media account with the relevant privacy settings correctly in place, because the only people who are going to read it are the ones you choose to share your opinion with (well, that and FB itself, but generally, no problem there.)

Its the people who simply can't be bothered to do that who are in the firing line (literally).

This being ATS and all, I'm sure we'd no doubt advise people to make sure they have their settings correct, that their privacy is assurred as it can be and then there is no issue.

If they then - out of some misplaced idea - choose to ignore that, and think they are untouchable, they potentially have a problem. Not only that, but they put their family and friends at risk too.

As such, surely the advice should be to be careful, and if your settings are locked down, be sensible in what yopu choose to write?

originally posted by: neformore
a reply to: Hefficide

Let me put it this way...

You can express all the opinions you want on a social media account with the relevant privacy settings correctly in place, because the only people who are going to read it are the ones you choose to share your opinion with (well, that and FB itself, but generally, no problem there.)

Its the people who simply can't be bothered to do that who are in the firing line (literally).

This being ATS and all, I'm sure we'd no doubt advise people to make sure they have their settings correct, that their privacy is assurred as it can be and then there is no issue.

If they then - out of some misplaced idea - choose to ignore that, and think they are untouchable, they potentially have a problem. Not only that, but they put their family and friends at risk too.

As such, surely the advice should be to be careful, and if your settings are locked down, be sensible in what yopu choose to write?

Oh yeah?
Maybe the White House Administration are pros at scrubbing their data, Lois Lerner for example, and it is second nature to them. Freedom of speech is what they are supposed to be protecting not advising against.

Hahaha... imagine the situation. Billy from Thistown writes something on his wall.

At the same time, mr. evil terrorist from MSM nominated evil country is sitting at his computer, just slowly one by one, looking through profiles, searching for something to be upset at...

"where is it... can't find it.... oh wait, no.... here! Billy says my god is evil!??! I hate Billy.... Now I kill many Americans, but not until their MSM is here and ready to film it!"

idotic. Seriously. All journalists, news anchors, what ever, are sensationalistics incompetent pieces of #, that is not worth their pay nor worth being part of this Earth. No wonder it's them losing their heads and being shot.... no body f'ing likes them or what they do. They do NOTHING good for this world.

a reply to: TinfoilTP

No one is denying your freedom of speech.

They are advising that there is more chance of you and your family being blown away if you want to post the "hoo-rah, 'Murica, kill all them ragheads" type BS on an open social media platform where you can be clearly identified, probably have pictures of your home, spouse, kids, details of your workplace etc, your favourite locations, times when you are in and out and on holiday etc where everyone with an internet search engine can see them.

What they are advising is that freedom of speech carries responsibility. Particularly in this day and age.

This is a portion of the article that I don't think anyone has touched upon:

But the government on Sunday night indicated they had obtained fresh intelligence that ISIS wants to recruit or inspire sympathizers inside America to hurt military members where they live.

"The FBI recently received reporting indicating individuals overseas are spotting and assessing like-minded individuals who are willing and capable of conducting attacks against current and former U.S.-based members of the United States military," the bulletin said.

So there is a specific aspect to this, the fear-mongering that ISIS/ISIL might just recruit your neighbor and indoctrinate them into killing you because you posted something that the terrorists didn't much care for... Maybe "God Bless America" or "Happy Independence Day".

This sort of "Best to keep quiet" thing harkens back to Nazi Germany or periods of religious persecution world-history over. In your own country, Nef, there were issues with this during the reigns of Henry, Mary and Elizabeth (The Tudors). It is simply not a pill I am willing to swallow.

While I understand that certain professions, such as military or law enforcement have an implied need to adhere to such things, beyond them it becomes very Orwellian. That and it sets one Hell of a precedent if it catches on and fear drives a substantial number of people to follow through and avoid angering ISIS/ISIL blindly. We take that step and it's not far to "Better not squawk about the IRS, FBI, NSA, DoD, CIA, Congress, Mayor, police, etc.

I personally will not live in fear.

originally posted by: Hefficide

Hello again ATS!


I am NOT going to "scrub" my social media posts to make sure that no terrorists might find offense.

I am NOT going to abandon my First Amendment Rights because George Stephanopoulos shows a huge grin while suggesting I do so.

What hidden message or intent comes with a call to cowardice that sits beside a figure of courage???

What say you ATS? What sort of mind frack are these folks trying to pull???

To allow the degenerated beings who call themselves IS to moderate your behaviour in any way,gives them a victory.
Prevent this by continued arguments as to why IS are incompatible with humanity.

Do not delete your anti IS posts.

Why would anyone support sick people who manipulate religion,kill journalists,aid workers and children-in fact anyone who does not share their twisted ideology?

IS will burn from history if decent folks stand against them.

LOL

I'm tempted to post "Hey ISIS! Come at me Bro! You ain't got nothing but weak sauce!" Then post my address.

Just saying. Better to die on your feet then live on your knees.

You know, I always somehow get painted as the bad guy in this kind of thread.

If you guys want to extend an open invite some jihadist idiot to your front door so he can blow you and your kids away, so be it.