Social media is the breeding ground for violence against democracy
上周，川普的支持者們武力衝入國會大廈，試圖推翻民主選舉結果，使美國最尊嚴的政治中心遭到前所未有的襲擊。這場駭人聽聞的暴動舉世震驚，譴責之餘公眾不禁 質疑：為什麼美國民主會遭到右翼勢力發起的空前襲擊，是什麼社會因素在驅使美國極端暴力行動的迅速蔓延？
The US Capitol faced the mob's attack as Trump supporters broke into the Congress building last week in an attempt to overthrow the result of the democratic election. The horrific insurrection has rattled the world and drawn scrutiny, prompting questions of why would the US democracy face an unprecedented assault by right-wing radicalism and what has fueled the rapid growth of extremist violence in the US?
今天你也許關心的話題：
渥太華擬用邊境信息查處出國度假領取福利金者
如何選購一款適合自己的二手車？
社交媒體在這場國會暴亂中劣跡斑斑，在責難逃。曾以自由言論之高科技平臺而粉墨登場的社交媒體卻日益淪為極端右翼勢力的有利工具，為其煽動仇恨，鼓動暴亂興妖作怪，推波助瀾。對大選結果極其不滿的川普和其支持者們，利用社交媒體散布陰謀論，指責選舉舞弊，並組織大規模暴亂以向美國最神聖的憲章立法機構發動襲擊。
Social media played a dark and outsized role in the Capitol riot. Once seen as a profound democracy technology, it has been increasingly serving the need of right-extremists to inflame rage and incite violence. Angry over the election results, Trump and his allies used the platform to spread conspiracy, accuse voter fraud, and organize the insurrection to assault on the country's most sacred house of the constitution.
早在去年底，支持川普的Facebook就出現了「佔領國會行動」的張貼，鼓動網友衝擊國會大廈以推翻選舉結果。隨著策劃的暴動日期臨近，鼓動持槍上陣，參與暴亂之張貼也日益泛濫，遍布右翼組織網站，並呈現在主流網媒各個角落。來自極端右翼的一則張貼稱：「衝入政府機構，打死警察，打死保安，對政府官員也別手軟。不達重計選票的目的誓不罷休！」「不會開槍的馬上去學！」「川普和戰爭，二者選一。就這麼簡單！」
As early as late last year, chatter over an Operation Occupies the Capitol emerged on a pro-Trump Facebook group, suggesting to "Storm the Capitol" to overthrow the election results. As the planned action day drew near, more violent-inciting posts appeared online, mobilizing armed protest across digital networking sites. "We will storm the government buildings. Kill cops, kill security guards, kill federal employees and agents, and demand a recount," said one post from a right-wing extremist. "If you don't know how to shoot: You need to learn. NOW." "Trump or War. Today. That simple."
據研究機構Advance Democracy信息， 至1月6日止，這種呼籲暴力的張貼吸引了至少12萬名追隨者，但參加暴亂的人群中有很多為不明真相的普通百姓，他們被川普極其右翼支持者們的謊言蠱惑。算來川普及其追隨者在社交媒體上開展的謊言攻勢已五年有餘，期間網絡巨頭充分展現了其散布謊言，兜售虛假信息之本領，以及其一呼百應，應者雲集之拿手好戲。在川普及其追隨者們最新的真理攻擊戰中，他們為大選欺詐網羅證據，隨著大量點擊，拷貝，轉送等網絡行動所產生的實時效應，這些虛假信息掀起一輪輪網媒高潮，令川普的網粉們流連忘返，樂此不疲。
Research group Advance Democracy has found that posts with calls for violence had engaged over 120,000 followers as of the end of Jan.6, and many people drawn to the action were victims of Trump's propaganda and lies. Trump and his allies have waged a five-year disinformation war on social media, benefiting from the nature of the technology that engages deceptions and falsehood at its best. In the latest chapter of their assault on truth, Trump and his allies spread manufactured evidence supporting the claim of election fraud, which mushroomed into mainstream online channels, uploaded across all social media networks, and generated massive traffic in real-time.
一則用來指證在選舉結束後，投票站偷偷接納大量額外選票的手機視頻出現在YouTube上後，立即成為在線系統的寵兒，數小時內在社交媒體廣為流傳，點擊量超過100萬。雖然當局後證實視頻指控不實，但它已產生了無法挽回的效應，使大量網民對川普因欺詐而落選之說深信不疑。
Within hours of a cell phone video allegedly proving illegal votes smuggled in after polls closed, it went viral on conservative YouTube accounts and flooded through the online media ecosystem, pushing view accounts to over a million. While authorities quickly discredited the video, it had generated intended effects to many viewers, reinforcing their belief that Trump lost the election to voter fraud.
隨著陰謀論和大選造假論成為某些Facebook網站的熱點新聞，網民們各個群情激憤，憤怒之情溢於言表，他們衝進國會，不推翻選舉誓不罷休！在川普支持者攻擊華盛頓之時，有關暴亂和打砸搶之場景的視頻在社交媒體實時傳播，在川普的網絡世界中成為最受青睞，追崇，炫酷，和效仿之內容景點。
With conspiracy theories and false claims clogging Facebook sites' news feed, anger and rage escalated to the boiling point, driving rioters to break into the Congress building to overturn the people's election. As the president's supporters stormed the capital, scenes of violence, looting and destruction soared into the fastest-flowing content online, cheered and relished throughout the pro-Trump social media universe.
雖然1月6日暴亂被平息，首都華盛頓恢復了以往的平靜，社交媒體卻仍為謊言，仇恨，暴力的滋生地以及反民主勢力的搖籃。自詡取得了國會攻擊行動之勝利的右翼分子們乘勝追擊，繼續利用社交媒體陣為下一次的武裝暴動招兵買馬，呼風喚雨。隨著拜登就職日的來臨，號召再次暴力襲擊美國政治中心的張貼又在社交媒體上掀起了一輪新的網絡高潮。
While the Jan.6 riot was over and stability resumed in the capital, social media will not cease to be the breeding ground for lies, rage, violence, and hostility towards democracy. Emboldened by the Capitol incursion's success, extremists have seized the momentum of social media victory, planning for the next armed attacks online, as posts calling for violence against the nation’s capital on the inauguration day spread like wildfire.