Hitler’s Speeches Will Be Translated Using AI in 2024 – That’s Why It’s So Dangerous | Technical News

Videos of Adolf Hitler’s speeches translated using artificial intelligence are invading TikTok feeds around the world.

Social media users have praised the dictator’s speeches online, in a worrying show of support for the man behind the Holocaust.

TikTok’s policies prohibit “promoting (including any praise, celebration, or sharing of manifestos) or providing material support to… individuals who cause serial or mass violence or promote hateful ideologies” – but some of the videos have received millions of views .

Some videos of Josef Stalin have also been circulated, with “online fans” claiming he was “simply misunderstood.”

“I’m not surprised at all, which is very sad,” Ian Garner, professor of totalitarianism at the Pilecki Institute in Warsaw, tells Metro.

“This is just the latest manifestation of a wave of normalizing extremism online, racist content of all kinds, misogynistic content, homophobic content, you name it – it’s out there and in the online world where truth and reality can be created and rebuilt .’

Which videos are shared and how?

Videos of various Hitler speeches were translated using AI and posted online.

One such video was titled “Just Listen” and featured comments such as “He was a hero” and “Maybe he’s not a villain.”

Hitler’s speeches have long been taboo – understandably – and Mr Garner said the new videos were a worrying phenomenon.

“Social media users are just beginning to recognize something that just a few years ago belonged in some very dark corners of the world,” he explains.

“If you look back 20 years and was a neo-Nazi, it was difficult to find other neo-Nazis. Now anyone can find them at the push of a button.”

Why is it so worrying?

Because of the nature of TikTok’s algorithms, Mr. Garner explains, social media users find themselves in a world where they see more and more extremist content until they fall down a “rabbit hole.”

A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement this week that the platform had already removed almost “all videos” found to be violating its community guidelines.

They added: “We take a zero-tolerance approach to hateful content on our platform and consistently remove more than 90 percent of it before it is reported to us.”

But much of the content is lost. Mr Garner argues that social media companies can deal with this worrying content, but added: “It’s not a lack of path, it’s a lack of will.” We have a problem with TikTok.

“Because it is a Chinese company, it is generally beyond the legal ability of Western governments to really regulate it heavily without simply banning it.” And a ban would be unworkable.

“Western governments need to act quickly, especially if Western companies are pushing them to regulate content, because they won’t do it alone.”

“From a moral and ethical perspective, this is content that is absolutely abhorrent.” If it is not outright banned, it must be accompanied by constant warnings and contextualization of the information it contains.

“No one else can make the argument that they are enlightening by publishing AI versions of Hitler’s speeches.”

Who could be behind it?

The affordability and easy access to AI technology means anyone online could be behind these videos, Mr Garner said.

“This is a phenomenon that has been growing for years. “It appears to be gaining momentum due to organic user interest in this topic and due to the deliberate distribution of this content by various nefarious actors.”

Who could these “nefarious actors” be? It depends on.

The Russian state traditionally tries to push issues into the world, Mr. Garner said, to divide the West and promote its own narratives.

Russia has repeatedly justified its war in Ukraine by claiming that it is “denazifying” the country.

If some Russian actors were behind the AI ​​videos of Hitler, Garner argues that this gives Russia another edge in its denazification argument.

However, this does not require the capacity of a state.

“But it could be anyone trying to stir up discontent and anger in the West simply for political reasons.” “The kind of technology you need to produce this, to improve the content, is not expensive.”

What could this mean for free speech?

Social media and AI have changed the debate about free speech, necessitating a free debate about what free speech means in the new world.

Those who argue that Hitler’s speeches can be used from an educational perspective are right – a research team in Germany is working to document more than 1,500 of his speeches with explanatory notes and biographies of everyone quoted.

However, there are no plans for widespread distribution on social media, as the dangers of Hitler’s speeches could spread there.

“Social media has changed the way foreign actors and domestic actors who actively seek to undermine our society are able to do so,” Garner said.

“We absolutely need to value free speech, but social media has changed things drastically.”

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