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Weekend mass shootings prompt concerns over websites promoting violence, hate

Security experts say websites breeding and promoting domestic terrorism are becoming a real, out-of-control problem.

Several companies that provide crucial internet services have announced they are cutting ties with anonymous online forum 8chan and related sites in the wake of this weekend’s two mass shootings, after a manifesto reportedly written by the El Paso shooter was uploaded there.

It’s sparking a conversation about online forums that encourage violence and hate.

Multiple websites are filled with users, often anonymous, egging on threats of violence, spewing hate, in some cases directly linked to mass shootings. Now, some key players in the internet world are saying enough is enough.

Reports show the suspect in the Texas shooting posted a PDF of plans on anonymous web forum 8chan.

Cloudflare, a website security provider, announced Monday they are cutting ties with 8chan, causing the site to crash and go offline. 

In their announcement, Cloudflare’s CEO called 8chan a “cesspool of hate," saying the gunmen in both the terror attack on Christchurch in New Zealand and the Poway, California synagogue shooting both posted about their plans on the site.

Now it appears the El Paso shooter allegedly did the same.

Security experts say websites breeding and promoting domestic terrorism are becoming a real, out-of-control problem.

“We have to do something because they’re inspiring each other," said Dr. Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University.

She said it’s time for major internet companies to actively shut down this kind of content, much like mainstream sites like Facebook and Twitter do. 

“The things that they’re posting and talking about is very dark," Dr. Squire said.

The Southern Poverty Law Center runs a hate group tracking map – showing 17 active hate groups in South Carolina and 40 operating in North Carolina.

Between those and the dark depths of unregulated online forums, there has been a call for more to be done to put an end to it.

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