Max Fisher

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Iran's security environment also makes it difficult for its country leaders to deescalate in response to a US air strike. An escalatory retaliation, in this climate of mutual distrust & strategic uncertainty, can spiral into full-blown war if neither side feels it can back down. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Iran's complicated internal politics will make it incredibly difficult for Iranian leaders to de-escalate in response to a US air strike. Both civilian and military/paramilitary factions will feel tremendous pressure to support a visibly significant response. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

But Syria had every reason to ignore the strikes. It exercised weak control over its territory, was already subject to ongoing foreign interventions, and had a great power sponsor, Russia, to put a brake on escalation. Iran, by contrast, will feel enormous pressure to retaliate. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

For one, it would not be impossible to convince Trump — who already briefly approved strikes on Iran — that it would be a repeat of his one-off strikes in Syria. Recall those strikes were met with wide applause in DC and NY and had little real consequence. https://t.co/xpjaly2URg — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

For reasons outlined in this @monkeycageblog piece, I think outright war with Iran remains not the likeliest outcome. However, I do believe that war is a real possibility and it is getting rapidly realer, for reasons I'll explain here. https://t.co/hfeVUnBAcY — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @naderalihashemi: Solid (as usual) by @Max_Fisher on Iran's strategy https://t.co/QWoCjqqfRF @DannyPostel @vali_nasr @BasharatPeer @matt… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

"YouTube executives reportedly mulling removing all children’s content." "The reports ... have also prompted a federal investigation by the Federal Trade Commission ... that could result in Google receiving a fine over its inability to protect children." https://t.co/WkgtjtAxq2 — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Samantha Bee did a very good segment on YouTube’s troubles, leading with our story on algorithm-assisted pedophilia: https://t.co/kSTl8SLkHC — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @evanchill: Extremely excited to join the impressive team on the @nytimes Visual Investigations desk this week, and looking forward to h… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @declanwalsh: I interviewed General Mohamed Hamdan, known as Hemeti, whose fighters led the brutal assault on protesters in Khartoum on… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @kevinroose: I’ve been working on a story for a few months that I’m excited to share. It’s about a 21-year-old guy who was radicalized… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

More momentum building: Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn send an open letter to YouTube’s CEO about our story, demanding to know, among other things, why YouTube will not turn off recommendations on videos of children. https://t.co/Z3FyQEdfjQ — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

@voxdotcom Hi, I love and support @voxdotcom, which is why I’d like to ask that you please not promote my old posts during the walkout. Thanks. @vox_union — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @JenParker393: My thoughts on editing for @nytopinion. A vast majority of the writers I publish are women. I value their voices. It's… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

When I asked YouTube about doing exactly this last week, the company did not deny that it was technically capable, and even hinted they might do so voluntarily. Later, YT said they would not do this because it would hurt traffic. Sen. Hawley’s bill would force them to do it. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Wow: Senator Hawley has introduced legislation off of our story that would prohibit video-hosting services like YouTube from recommending videos that feature minors. https://t.co/cm31khOgwH — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @mattyglesias: Still a little flabbergasted that YouTube seems to be successfully shuffling away from @Max_Fisher’s child pornography st… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @kcroninfurman: The critical analysis of wife guys you (or at least I) didn't know you needed, from @amandahess: https://t.co/LRJIPnK7w7 — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

RT @pactenboy: @Max_Fisher @chrislhayes My wife posted a short clip of our 2 year olds in a bubble bath, so friends far away could see them… — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

For more on what happens when YouTube and other social networks route an ever-growing global share of human social relations through engagement-maximizing algorithms, read our essay on “the Algorithmification of the Human Experience”: https://t.co/caYeD1UlXP — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

As I reported last year with @kbennhold, YouTube’s algorithm does something similar with politics. We found it directing large numbers of Germans news consumers toward far-right extremist videos, with real-world implications. https://t.co/f2e61KIO6p — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

On a personal note, I found reporting this emotionally straining, far more so than I'd anticipated. Watching the videos made me physically ill and I've been having regular nightmares. I only mention it because I cannot fathom what this is like for parents whose kids are swept up. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Initially, YouTube gave me comment saying that they were trending in that direction. Experts were thrilled, calling it potentially a hugely positive step. Then YouTube “clarified” their comment. Creators rely on recommendations to drive traffic, they said, so would stay on. 📈 — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

I asked YouTube— why not just turn off recommendations on videos of kids? Your system can already identify videos of kids automatically. The recommendation algorithm is driving this whole child exploitation phenomenon. Switching it off would solve the problem and keep kids safe. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

YouTube’s algorithm also changed immediately after we notified the company, no longer linking the kiddie videos together. Strangely, however, YouTube insisted that the timing was a coincidence. When I pushed, YT said the timing might have been related, but wouldn’t say it was. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

YouTube, to its credit, said it has been working nonstop on this issue since a similar issue was first reported in February. YT also removed some of the videos immediately after we alerted the company, though not others that we did not specifically flag. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

We talked to child psychologists, sexual trauma specialists, psychologists who work with pedophiles, academic experts on pedophilia, network analysts. They all said YouTube has built a vast audience — maybe unprecedented — for child sexual exploitation, with grave risks for kids. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

We talked to one mother, in Brazil, whose daughter had posted a video of her and a friend playing in swimsuits. YouTube’s algorithm found the video and promoted it to users who watched other partly-clothed prepubescent children. Within a few days of posting, it had 400,000 views — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Any user who watched one kiddie video would be directed by YouTube's algorithm to dozens more — each selected out of millions of otherwise-obscure home movies by an incredibly sophisticated piece of software that YouTube calls an artificial intelligence. The families had no idea. — PolitiTweet.org

Max Fisher @Max_Fisher

Each video might appear innocent on its own, a home movie of a kid in a two-piece swimsuit or a nightie. But each has three common traits: • the girl is mostly unclothed or briefly nude • she is no older than age 8 • her video is being heavily promoted by YouTube’s algorithm — PolitiTweet.org