UK May Arrest Influencers Who Are Abroad

Summary

The transcript discusses the fear and authoritarianism experienced under communism in Romania, highlighting the lack of freedom, accountability, and the government's control over information and resources. It delves into the challenges of implementing authoritarian measures in the age of social media, comparing historical control methods to modern dilemmas faced by governments. The narrative also touches on the potential for Western nations to adopt authoritarian practices, exploring the implications for free speech and the role of social media influencers in societal unrest.

Takeaways

• 😔 The speaker's parents disliked communism in Romania primarily due to the authoritarianism, not the ideology or taxation.
• 🗣️ A significant issue was the lack of freedom of speech and the inability to hold politicians accountable for their actions.
• 🏚️ The government controlled all aspects of life, including housing and employment, making citizens completely reliant on it.
• 😨 People lived in constant fear of repercussions for expressing dissatisfaction with the government or complaining about living conditions.
• 📰 Information was strictly controlled by the government, and accessing alternative sources like Radio Free Europe was punishable.
• 🐓 The story of Stalin and the chicken illustrates the power of a government to control and manipulate its citizens through fear and dependence.
• 🌎 The speaker contrasts the fear and control in Romania with the liberties and freedoms enjoyed in the United States.
• 🤔 The script raises the hypothetical scenario of a Western nation adopting authoritarian measures, questioning how it might look and the challenges it would pose.
• 🚫 The discussion of social media control highlights the difficulty authoritarian governments face in managing information in the digital age.
• 👮‍♂️ The script mentions the potential use of legal systems to suppress free speech, such as arresting individuals for 'grossly offensive' posts on social media.
• 🤷‍♂️ The speaker expresses confusion and concern over the disparity in how different riots and protests are treated by authorities, questioning the motives behind such actions.

Q & A

Why did the speaker's parents dislike communism in Romania?

The speaker's parents disliked communism in Romania not because of the ideology or taxation, but due to the authoritarianism that restricted freedom of speech, personal liberty, and the lack of accountability for politicians.

What was the main concern of the people living under communism in Romania according to the script?

The main concern was the constant fear of speaking out against the government or expressing dissatisfaction, as it could lead to trouble, and the lack of any means to hold politicians accountable for their actions.

How did the Romanian government control the information during the communist era?

The government controlled information by being the sole provider, punishing those who sought information from other sources like Radio Free Europe, and making people reliant on it for housing, jobs, and welfare.

What is the story of Stalin and the live chicken meant to illustrate?

The story illustrates the power of a government to control and brutalize its people as long as it controls their basic needs, drawing a parallel to how people may follow oppressive regimes out of dependency.

What is the speaker's fear regarding a Western nation adopting authoritarian measures?

The speaker fears that a Western nation could become an authoritarian state that suppresses liberty and freedom, focusing only on safety and control, which could lead to a loss of free speech and open discourse.

How has the control of information changed with the advent of social media?

Controlling information has become more complex with social media, as it is a global platform that is difficult to regulate completely. Options for an authoritarian government include banning platforms or working with social media companies to silence dissenting voices.

What is the speaker's concern about the United Kingdom's approach to social media influencers in the context of riots?

The speaker is concerned about the UK's potential to use vague terms to justify the arrest and extradition of social media influencers who may be seen as contributing to unrest, even if their actions are not directly violent.

How does the speaker view the difference in treatment between various riots and the response to them?

The speaker questions why some riots receive a more severe response and are labeled as terror, while others, like the BLM riots, may not receive the same level of scrutiny or fear-mongering.

What does the speaker find concerning about the UK's approach to handling social media posts during unrest?

The speaker finds it concerning that the UK may be arresting individuals for 'grossly offensive' posts on social media without transparency, and that trials related to these posts are held in secret.

How does the speaker describe the potential impact of the UK's actions on public trust?

The speaker suggests that the UK's actions, such as secret trials and the potential for arbitrary arrests based on social media posts, could erode public trust and make it difficult for the government to regain credibility.

Outlines

00:00

😨 Fear and Authoritarianism in Romania

The speaker reflects on their parents' experiences with communism in Romania, highlighting not the ideology itself but the authoritarianism that came with it. The lack of freedom of speech, liberty, and the absence of accountability for politicians are emphasized. The fear of expressing dissatisfaction with living conditions, such as lack of electricity or increasing costs of living, is discussed, as well as the government's control over information and resources, making citizens completely reliant on it. The speaker also shares a chilling anecdote about Stalin to illustrate the psychological control exerted by authoritarian regimes and ponders the implications of a Western nation adopting such measures, especially considering the role of social media in modern times.

05:01

🤔 The Challenge of Controlling Information in 2024

This paragraph delves into the complexities of controlling information in the digital age, contrasting the past methods of censorship with the current challenges posed by social media. The speaker explores two potential strategies an authoritarian regime might use to control social media: outright banning platforms, which is highly visible and could be seen as a sign of dictatorship, or covertly influencing social media companies to ban 'problematic' users. Examples from Britain and Brazil are given to illustrate these tactics. The speaker also discusses the potential for using legal measures against social media influencers, drawing on a BBC article that suggests the prosecution of influencers involved in violent disorder, raising questions about the subjective nature of such charges and the potential for abuse of power.

10:01

🛑 The Disparity in Handling Riots and the Role of Social Media

The speaker questions the disparity in how different riots are treated, focusing on the UK's approach to handling extreme right-wing social media influencers. The narrative includes the arrest warrant for a specific individual and the potential for extradition, raising the question of why certain individuals are singled out while others are not. The speaker also criticizes what they perceive as fear-mongering by the media, comparing the UK's actions to those of other Western nations and expressing concern about the potential erosion of trust between the government and its citizens. Instances of social media posts leading to arrests and secret trials are mentioned, adding to the overall concern about the state of freedom of expression in the UK.

15:02

👁️‍🗨️ Public Reaction and the 'British Way' of Handling Dissent

In the final paragraph, the speaker invites public opinion on the discussed topics, reflecting on the British approach to dissent and the potential consequences of suppressing information. The speaker recounts an incident where a woman discussing far-right issues was harassed, and the video of the incident was quickly removed, suggesting a pattern of suppression. The paragraph ends with a rhetorical question about the UK's ability to regain the trust of its citizens after such incidents, implying a need for transparency and accountability in governance.

Keywords

💡Communism

Communism is a political and economic ideology that seeks to establish a classless society where the means of production are owned and controlled by the community as a whole. In the context of the video, the speaker's parents disliked communism not for its economic policies but for the authoritarianism it often entails, as exemplified by the lack of freedom and accountability in Romania.

💡Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism refers to a form of government characterized by strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom. It is central to the video's theme, as the speaker discusses the oppressive nature of such a regime, including the inability to speak freely or hold politicians accountable, which was a significant issue in Romania under communism.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the expectation of answerability for one's actions. In the video, the lack of accountability among politicians is highlighted as a major concern under authoritarian regimes, where corruption and self-serving actions go unchecked, leading to public dissatisfaction and fear.

💡Fear

Fear, as discussed in the video, is a tool used by authoritarian governments to control their citizens. The speaker mentions living under constant fear of repercussions for expressing dissatisfaction or complaints about the government or living conditions, which is a common characteristic of such regimes.

💡Control

Control, in the context of the video, refers to the government's monopoly over information, housing, employment, and welfare. This control makes citizens completely reliant on the state, thereby increasing the government's power and reducing the citizens' ability to challenge or dissent.

💡Information Control

Information control is the act of restricting the flow of information to the public, often by a government or authority. The video script mentions how the government in Romania controlled all sources of information, making it a punishable offense to access foreign broadcasts like Radio Free Europe, thereby shaping public opinion and maintaining power.

💡Social Media

Social media is a term used to describe web-based applications that enable people to create and share content or participate in social networking. The video discusses the challenges authoritarian governments face in controlling social media, which is a new form of communication that is harder to regulate compared to traditional media.

💡Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint. The video contrasts the speaker's appreciation for this freedom in the United States with the repression experienced by their parents under an authoritarian regime, where expressing dissent could lead to trouble.

💡Extradition

Extradition is the process by which one country or jurisdiction sends a person found within its territory to another country or jurisdiction to stand trial or serve a sentence for a crime. The video mentions the possibility of the UK seeking extradition for social media influencers allegedly involved in violent disorder, highlighting the global reach of law enforcement.

💡Riots

Riots are violent disturbances of the peace by a crowd. The video discusses the government's response to riots, including the potential for using repressive measures against social media influencers who may be seen as inciting violence, which raises questions about freedom of speech and government overreach.

💡Influencers

Influencers are individuals who have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience. The video raises concerns about the potential for these individuals to be held accountable for their online activities, especially if they are perceived to contribute to unrest or violence.

Highlights

Parents' view on communism in Romania was not about the ideology but the authoritarianism and lack of freedom.

Authoritarianism led to fear of speaking out against the government and a lack of accountability for politicians.

Government control over information and resources made people completely reliant on it.

Stalin's allegory of power and control through the live chicken story.

The contrast between the fear of living under authoritarianism and the freedom in the United States.

The hypothetical scenario of a Western nation becoming authoritarian and the implications for social media.

The challenges of controlling information in the age of social media compared to traditional newspapers.

The potential methods of authoritarian control over social media, including banning or shadow banning users.

The case of the BBC and the director of public prosecution's stance on social media influencers.

The subjective nature of what constitutes 'playing a role' in riots or violence on social media.

Arrests and charges related to social media posts during the UK riots, including secret trials.

The difference in treatment of riots and the potential political motivations behind it.

The high court's warrant for the arrest of a social media influencer and the implications for free speech.

The potential for international cooperation in extraditing individuals for social media activity.

The sentencing guidelines and potential jail time for those involved in the riots.

The comparison of the UK's approach to riots with other Western nations and the question of fear-mongering.

The concern about the trust between the government and citizens after heavy-handed responses to social media activity.

The anecdote about the German comedian and the international implications of free speech.

Transcripts

you know I did ask my parents why they

hated communism in Romania and the thing

that they answered surprised me uh it

wasn't necessarily the ideology uh it

wasn't the

taxation it was the

authoritarianism basically the idea that

you can't speak freely you don't have

Liberty you can't um complain about the

government there's no way of holding

politicians accountable for what they're

doing like politicians could be visibly

corrupt they could increase taxes they

could take from the people and there was

no accountability for that there there

was nothing you could do about that your

opinion didn't matter and more

importantly it was the fear and and you

were afraid that you may say something

at work uh you may make a joke you may

vent your frustration over the fact that

you don't have electricity or the cost

of living is going up or everything is

rationed and that could actually get you

in trouble so was like living under

constant fear as well as the zero

accountability for the politicians that

were getting fatter and

fatter and you know I was wondering like

how did they manage to do that and the

answer is through control right like

like the only way you would get your

information was from the government

getting your information from any other

source like the radio free Europe was

punishable and the government made it so

that you're reliant on it right like you

don't actually own your house you rent

it from the government you don't

actually uh have a job outside of the

government because the government

controls everything um you don't really

uh get to have welfare outside of the

government I mean you're already taxed a

lot so you can't save money right so

like if you need money you need to

appeal to the government so basically

like the government was making you

completely reliant on it and the people

that were running it were having zero

accountability and there's this uh

interesting thing I I don't even know if

it's real or not but it is

fascinating regarding Stalin uh sitting

at a table with some of his inner

oligarchs and they bring him a live

chicken and Stalin starts pling the

chicken in front of everyone right and

and everyone is horrified because like

this animal is screaming for its life

and now Stalin is covered in blood as he

rips the feathers away from the chicken

but like no one has the courage to say

anything about it because it's Stalin

like they they don't want to get in

trouble right like no one has the

courage to speak out and after Stalin

finishes and you can see that the

chicken is in huge

pain uh he brings some corn and leads

the chicken around the room and the

chicken actually follows him the moral

of the story is that it doesn't matter

what you do to the people you can

brutalize them as much as you want as

long as they can't get their food from

anywhere else they're going to follow

you

around so that that to me was very

creepy because like it shows the power

of the government and what

differentiates the United States from

other

places I was quite happy that I didn't

live the time of my parents that I

didn't live under authoritarianism that

I benefit from Liberty and freedom and

you know I can express pretty much

everything that I want that there are

some limits which didn't exist 10 years

ago so you know it's is not perfect but

it's it's better than than what my

parents had right still I I did ask

myself the question what if a western

Nation like if a powerful Western Nation

decided to be authoritarian like like if

they didn't care about Liberty and

freedom at all and they only cared about

safety and suppression how would that

look like cuz when you look at human

history like a lot of these nations that

decided to go either fascist or Soviet

or you know the different like Flav

of

authoritarianism they were once free

Nations like their people once had

Liberty like it can happen that your

nation is free and all of a sudden

becomes an authoritarian hellhole so it

is possible for a nation that we look at

with and and we think it's it's free and

it's a just Society like all of a sudden

it can actually use repressive measures

on its own people Chinese style right

so if it's possible how would it look

like and you know the only thing that

that I realized is that it would have a

big problem with social media because in

the past all you had to do was to

control the newspapers that was easy

enough like you make sure that

newspapers can't operate without a

license and you don't give license to

the Publishers that don't play ball so

like if you have a newspaper that just

criticizes the government you find a

reason not to give them a license and if

they keep publicizing that they're

operating against the law so you can

arrest them right like it's very simple

and you can also choose to import

newspapers that are coming from abroad

so like in the Soviet Union like they

wouldn't import the New York Times right

so like there you go problem solved you

manage to control what people think you

manage to control what people see it's

very easy right but it 2024 things are

different because you got social media

that the world

uses and you have two choices you know

you can either like for instance ban

Facebook which looks awful I mean it

actually goes like mask off like you're

a dictatorship now like you decide to to

ban Free Speech right like as much as

they waged war against the concept there

are people that still believe it and you

know there are people that believe well

if you have nothing to hide you have

nothing to fear so why would you hide

Facebook you know but like that that

would be the extreme right to just like

flat out ban something um the other one

would be to actually ask the social

media company to to ban the problematic

users on your behalf and and make it

seem that that you didn't request their

bans it's just like they violated the

TOs and I think Britain already did it

um but Brazil also did the same like

they had that Supreme Court judge and it

wasn't that he was asking journalists

and other politicians to be banned he

did exactly what I said like he was

asking like okay ban them but make it

look like an accident like make it look

like they're a violator of the to or

something like that cuz you're a free

company you can do whatever you want

yeah just don't link it to me so like

that that's another way of Performing

authoritarianism just like shutting down

the people themselves from social media

right so you can still use social media

you can still read whatever you want

it's just like oh those people that you

like to read they they just got banned

for violating

to but but another interesting way is uh

this apparently right so you get the BBC

uh the barely British company saying

that nowhere to hide for influencers

behind this order so the director of

public prosecution says his people will

consider seeking extradition of social

media influencers allegedly playing a

role in the violent disorder gripping

the UK from abroad so like very vague

terms like what what exactly does it

mean like like okay so are you a person

that's actually organizing the riot then

I I could see why they would justify

this right but like what if you're just

a person that's uh you know like like

you're looking at Britain from afar and

you're like okay well these rid whatever

you're not like wagging your finger and

disavowing like is it enough how many

views right like take into account that

British law is very interesting like how

dula got arrested for uh teaching a dog

to do na like like all of this is

subjective

right so uh this article I find very

interesting because like usually they

would say like okay if you're doing this

like if you're organizing if you're a

leader if you're getting money from abro

I I would understand that but like okay

so if you're an influencer which plays a

role like what what what does plays a

role mean like for instance if some

Muslims uh decide

to attack far right protesters and

there's people in the Middle East that

are saying oh yeah good job Lads is that

playing a

role stepen Parkinson told the BBC that

offenders must know that they are not

safe and that there is nowhere to hide

he added that anybody involved in the

violence should know that they would

face the most severe possible criminal

charges including terrorist

approximately 100 of the 400 people uh

arrested in relation to a week of

disorder have been charged uh I I I

receive this info I don't know if it's

true or not like you guys should fact

check it but apparently like there were

people arrested for posting uh VI

grossly offensive grossly offensive post

on social media and the trials are

secret like they're not open to the

public so so you don't know actually

what what's going on cuz I found it

interesting when the police went into

the house of this elderly gentleman and

they were like um the the guy was like

okay but like what did I post it which

post and it's like oh we will tell you

at the station so like where he can't

film and that's interesting like like if

you're afraid of posts wouldn't you want

the public to know what those posts are

so they don't post them cuz like okay

maybe he actually did tweet something

incredibly offensive like Beyond The

Pale but like how would we know so that

we avoid posting stuff like

that prosecutors and Detectives are now

working through cases in teams across

England and Wales to push as many

suspects into the court as they quickly

possible well uh didn't they just like

release a lot of prisoners like I'm glad

there's room now CU you don't you don't

want overcrowded prisoners that's bad uh

Romania has overcrowded prisoners it's

it's not good European Union don't like

that so so you need you need presidents

with ample space uh some complex cases

could take weeks and more to be charged

but Mr Parkinson uh said that

prosecutors were absolutely geared up to

bring offenders to Justice uh By the way

when they had the BLM riots was there

the same energy or like and if no why

not like what changed what what is the

difference I know seriously asking for a

friend like like why is it that some

riots are treated differently than

others uh concern has been mounting

about extreme right-wing social media

influencers including the founder of the

edl real name Steven yakle lenon every

single time like everyone knows his real

name by now but like they they like

power word naming him like he's a demon

you know like in Dungeons and Dragons if

you know the name of the demon it

actually listens to your

commands he is currently in Cyprus the

high court has issued that warrant for

his arrest after he failed to turn up in

court I I don't think he's like rotting

away from uh I I I this is just my two

cents right I I think he's just on

vacation uh but if he was actually

trying to run away from England he

wouldn't go with the European Union like

you know if you have the finances and

you have the money like you'd go

somewhere like I don't know in Russia or

some [ __ ] you know like where they're

less likely to extradite you I'm just

saying like it makes common sense right

like if you're running away from a

country because you're in trouble and

you don't want to get arrested like you

you would probably go somewhere where

they don't have any

extradition

Iran where where would that be I'm just

curious uh Mr Parkinson said some people

are abroad that doesn't mean they're

safe we have Liaisons and prosecutors

around the globe who've got local links

with the local Judiciary we can

cooperate with our International

Partners we would certainly consider

extradition if we are satisfied that an

offense has been committed and if it

takes weeks or not months we will bring

them home and they will face Justice

violent riots following the Fatal

stabbings of three girls have now lasted

almost a week suspects Char so far have

faced allegations including violent

disorder which can lead to 5 years in

jail Jesus Christ other Suspects who

have been arrested are still being

assessed for the more serious charge of

rioting which can lead up to 10 years uh

those charging decisions would take

longer because of the nature of the

crime and the evidence needed but they

will come there are sentencing

guidelines which uh indicate that many

people who have been caught up in this

disorder okay let let me let me just put

it this way um America right under the

shepherd and the guidance of the most

wise of the all the Democrats

don't write articles like

this okay like like this is fear bonging

porn I'm not saying they're not going to

do it which is why it's fear bonging

like like they they may actually do it

they may actually you know go and and

start arresting uh social media

influencers and you know anyone that has

an opinion on this that upsets K Stalin

in fact even was saying Kier Stalin may

be grossly offensive I don't [ __ ]

know they may actually do it right but

I'm looking at other nations in the

world Germany doesn't do this France

doesn't do this America doesn't do this

why are they doing this I mean can you

not handle a riot with without recurring

to to this level of fear porn like am by

the way am I am I out of line for asking

this like genuine

question have no seriously like have you

heard any other Western Nation talk like

this I'm just curious right like can we

be curious now I don't know it's a good

good

question

Jesus nowhere is safe we are everywhere

we are like an octopusy we are going to

reach and grab you and drag you into the

UK prison you know it's kind of like

that I'm just saying it's weird you know

what I I think I know like the last

person that got into this trouble was a

German comedian because he said that um

the Turkish president has a little [ __ ]

no I'm not kidding like he actually made

a joke like right and and then turkey

demanded that Germany take takes drastic

measures he insulted the sultan and it's

like okay well but it's Turkey right I

mean come on it's turkey you expect that

Ian but this is the United Kingdom it is

Britain it has Churchill in it it's like

okay like seriously like the more I read

and the more I show to other Romanians

they're also like Jesus [ __ ] Christ

they how do you come back from how do

you gain trust again from your citizens

after something like

this well I hope they just uh wash the

telly they they don't look on the evil

social media because they may see

footage there that contradicts the Telly

but like even on the Telly that there

was like that lady a couple of days ago

right like like she's there to talk

about the far right and all of a sudden

uh men with what do you call it the

baklava the the the the face mask came

in and uh started uh harassing her and

and then they slashed her tires they

didn't look very far right to me they

looked like Pious

individuals and immediately like that

footage was taken down like put it under

the rug under the rug the British way

the British way is under the rug you

know everything goes under the rug all

right toes let me know what you think

I'll see in the comment section thank

you