More than 350 pieces of online content, mostly YouTube videos, have been removed this year after requests from Project Alpha
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskTheir particular concern is a unit of the Metropolitan Police Service called “Project Alpha”, which patrols the internet for “gang-related content”. Around 30 officers spend most of their time scrutinising drill songs, which sometimes reference real violence and gang disputes . They dissect slang to determine which tracks might incite offline attacks.
Civil-liberties groups view Alpha as a concerning creep towards censorship. Rappers feel unfairly singled out—heavy-metal bands have been screaming about death and destruction for decades. Many musicians also doubt that police officers can properly parse drill’s hyperlocal slang. “People in the Met aren’t coming from these areas [where drill is recorded]. There’s only so much training you can do,” says Toby Egekwu , co-founder of a record label that signs drill artists.
The bigger question is whether Alpha is doing any good. If rappers taunt rivals by belittling victims or referencing previous killings, that crosses a line, says Mr Seager. “The intention is to incite a response, which is often violent…If we remove the content, it prevents an escalation.”
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