In this post I would like to show how the Internet can be instrumentalized by user with nationalist motives in order to further their cause. Certainly, this does not directly contradict the quote by Negroponte but it supports McLuhan’s idea that the internet as a medium is just an extension of our body and can broadcast anything and everything.

I wrote an essay about the use of the Internet by Nazis at the University of Muenster which is available on request. I argue that the internet has become the most important recruitment device for right wing extremism, which is the case also in England and the United States. In order to keep this short and interesting I will not go into too much detail, however, if anyone wants to just ‘google’ the for their local national party I am sure you can find everything from free music to online magazines like the BNP’s ‘Identity’ (see Flickr).

The following examples refer to nationalism activities online in Germany, but, as stated above this content could be found in most countries. This link will take you to the report by the German organization for the protection of youth, they showcase the development of Nazi websites. In addition you can check out the ‘youtube’ video below which talks about the German National Party NPD attempting to use ‘youtube’ to broadcast a weekly ‘news’ program.

This possible examples are uncountable, however, the point becomes clear that just like the internet can be used to spread the ‘Anarchist Cookbook’ it can be spread ‘Mein Kampf’. Not only that, ‘youtube’, blogs, internet radio and social software are all used in the promotion of nationalism.