Chapter 1: The Algorithmic Influence

I must confess, I recently found myself watching a Ben Shapiro video on YouTube. Just one, mind you, and I quickly regretted it. The video critiqued AOC for her perceived hypocrisy regarding her state’s lockdowns while she was seen enjoying herself in Florida—a poor look indeed. However, Shapiro's response was nothing more than a string of personal attacks, showcasing a level of immaturity.

The following day, I turned to YouTube—owned by Google’s parent company, which has essentially become a monopoly by acquiring over 200 businesses—to search for discussions related to the biblical verse Matthew 6:33, which encourages seeking the kingdom of God first.

One would assume I would encounter sermons or thoughtful lectures on this topic, but instead, due to my earlier viewing of Shapiro's inflammatory content, Google’s algorithms directed me to a series of divisive and defamatory videos aimed at respected pastors, with sensational titles such as:

• "John Mark Comer doesn’t worship the true God."
• "Is Matt Chandler preaching a false gospel?"
• "Francis Chan: The Anti-Christ or Satan himself?"

At that moment, it struck me: Google operates like a terrorist organization.

The reality is that America seems to be fracturing. The ideological chasm between the right and left is widening, with extremists on both sides consolidating power within their respective parties. The far-left envisions perpetual lockdowns, while the far-right dismisses the existence of Covid altogether. Numerous Americans reject the concept of climate change, and issues like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse have surged. Last year alone, suicide claimed over 44,000 lives, while drug overdoses surpassed 100,000 for the first time. Yet, a staggering number of people still cling to the belief that the corporate-influenced Democrats can somehow resolve these crises.

I’m only half-joking about that last point, but it underscores the disarray in hyper-individualistic America. Anxiety and fear permeate daily life as individuals obsess over political disputes. And algorithms are exacerbating this situation.

A friend of mine contracted Covid early on and suffered severely from it, resulting in long Covid symptoms. Despite his ordeal, his family now dismisses the virus as a hoax, convinced they’ve uncovered the truth through YouTube.

My wife has a relative who is staunchly anti-vaccine and believes outlandish conspiracy theories, including a narrative that Donald Trump is still the President and that JFK will restore him to power. This person is entrenched in her beliefs, thanks to her YouTube channel where she spreads her own conspiracy theories, all while the algorithm prioritizes engagement over her well-being, relationships, and even democracy.

As long as she remains engaged, Google continues to radicalize its users. YouTube ranks as the second-largest search engine in the world, right behind its parent company. Humanity collectively spends over 365 billion hours on YouTube annually—equivalent to half a million lifetimes.

Despite this time drain, Google and YouTube have a fundamental issue: the users are the product. Google profits by selling user attention to advertisers, so the goal is to keep users glued to their screens. The most effective way to achieve this is not by promoting accurate educational content but by pushing emotionally charged, reaction-inducing propaganda that is likely to go viral.

This is why, until recently, YouTube's algorithm was directing users away from credible information about Covid and towards anti-vaccine conspiracies. It’s clear: Google operates as an anti-human monopoly, existing solely to extract wealth for private gain, thereby undermining democracy.

YouTube has a long history of enabling harmful content, from violent militia recruitment to radical ideologies and conspiracy theories, contributing to societal breakdown and loss of life. What do we call an entity that knowingly profits from chaos and violence? A terrorist organization.

After encountering that inappropriate video from Shapiro, filled with unfounded allegations against respected figures, I promptly deleted my viewing history and refined my search. Instantly, the divisive content vanished, and I was presented with sermons on Matthew 6:33.

The takeaway is clear: don’t allow algorithms to dictate your media consumption. (And keep your children away from YouTube.)

While I appreciate YouTube for providing reliable content, it seldom does. Instead, Google consistently opts to recommend content that maximizes profit—often negative, divisive, and misleading. If truth is liberating, then organizations like Google are the chains that bind us.

The unfortunate reality is that Google functions as an illegal monopoly that must be dismantled. At the very least, it should be held accountable for its role in disseminating vast amounts of misinformation, which has contributed to numerous Covid-related deaths, eroded democracy, and frayed the fabric of our fragile society.

Certainly, Google could alter its algorithm in an instant. It could choose to unite rather than divide, educate rather than confuse, and foster order instead of chaos. But where's the profit in that?

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Disclosure: The author uses YouTube with search history disabled, along with uBlock Origin and Ghostery filters to avoid contributing to Google’s revenue. He opts for DuckDuckGo over Google Search.

Chapter 2: The Consequences of Misinformation

The first video, "Meeting the Challenge of White Nationalist Terrorism at Home and Abroad," discusses the growing threat of domestic terrorism and offers insights on countering extremism.

The second video, "(Part 1) Countering the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes," examines how technology can be weaponized by extremists and explores strategies for combating this trend.