Matt Collins
12-04-2013, 09:42 AM
http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/13/12/04/1225209/app-detects-neo-nazis-using-their-music?utm_source=slashdot&utm_medium=facebook
"German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that the country's interior ministers will meet this week to discuss use of an app developed by local police in Saxony that has attracted the unofficial name of 'Nazi Shazam.' (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-police-develop-app-to-curb-neonazi-music-a-936711.html) Just like Shazam works out what song you're hearing from just a few bars, the system picks up audio fingerprints of neo-Nazi rock (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/an-app-to-catch-neo-nazis-by-the-music-they-listen-to) so police can intervene when it's being played. The whole situation sounds pretty insane to an outsider, but apparently far-right music is a big problem in Germany, where it's considered a 'gateway drug' into the neo-Nazi scene. The Guardian reported that in 2004, far-right groups even tried to recruit young members by handing out CD compilations (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/germany-police-nazi-music-phone-app) in schools. That sort of action is illegal in Germany, where neo-Nazi groups are outlawed and the Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Minors (http://www.bundespruefstelle.de/) is tasked with examining and indexing media — including films, games, music, and websites — that may be harmful to young people. They explain on their site:"
"German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that the country's interior ministers will meet this week to discuss use of an app developed by local police in Saxony that has attracted the unofficial name of 'Nazi Shazam.' (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-police-develop-app-to-curb-neonazi-music-a-936711.html) Just like Shazam works out what song you're hearing from just a few bars, the system picks up audio fingerprints of neo-Nazi rock (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/an-app-to-catch-neo-nazis-by-the-music-they-listen-to) so police can intervene when it's being played. The whole situation sounds pretty insane to an outsider, but apparently far-right music is a big problem in Germany, where it's considered a 'gateway drug' into the neo-Nazi scene. The Guardian reported that in 2004, far-right groups even tried to recruit young members by handing out CD compilations (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/germany-police-nazi-music-phone-app) in schools. That sort of action is illegal in Germany, where neo-Nazi groups are outlawed and the Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Minors (http://www.bundespruefstelle.de/) is tasked with examining and indexing media — including films, games, music, and websites — that may be harmful to young people. They explain on their site:"