Germany is going high tech to curb neo nazi activities. Besides the assiduous monitoring and other measures to curb the advance of nationalist groups, the German authorities have now devised a software that recognizes neo nazi music in the streets and on electronic gadgets.
A certain type of music, together with certain sports activities, like soccer and cage fighting, are closely associated with neo nazi groups, who use those venues and the music to 'recruit' adolescents and minors to their groups.
The software is called Nazi Shazam, because it can recognize a neo nazi type of song after only a few bars, through the phone's microphone.
The police could then easily identify when the music is played and where, and stop recruitment. In fact, the kind of music targeted by the authorities is considered like a gateway drug to neo nazi activity and recruitment of young, impressionable youth.
The software could enable monitoring agencies to identify music played in radio stations or other venues, such as neo nazi gatherings.
The songs that are targeted, usually have racial epithets or themes in the lyrics. They are usually labelled as forbidden to underage youth.
Of course, the legal issue of freedom of speech is instantly raised. There is of course the problem of surveillance, which in itself is or could be illegal under most circumstance. Freedom of gathering is protected under the constitution, and until the nationalist party falls under some illegal kind of activity, forbidden by a law the proscribes nazi apologies, the government will have a hard time using the software to curb or block neo nazi activity.
Partial Source : Spiegel International/ 12.2.13
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