One hate group in particular, Stormfront, was the first online hate group and was formed in 1995. Don Black, the leader of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan was arrested in 1981 with other Klansmen and charged with plotting to invade the Caribbean island of Dominica and turn it into a “white state” (Corrections Today, 1999). Don Black was convicted and sent to serve in prison and the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan separated. After his release from prison, in 1995, Black formed the first hate site online and called it Stormfront. This was a very important advancement for hate groups’ world wide. This enabled them to communicate and advertise their beliefs over the internet instantaneously. “There is a potential to reach millions,” Black said about the internet (Corrections Today, 1999, p.3). This statement by Black is true. With 79 million users in the United States, these hate groups are able to get their message out privately over the internet with no consequences. The internet bounds these extremists together in an online community where they can preach and discuss their similar beliefs. It takes the isolated person and makes them a part of the community by using the internet. Researcher mark Potok states that, “very often, a ‘hater’ is an isolated person, standing in their living room with their fist at the sky. That same person, instead of feeling like an isolated retrograde, wakes up in the morning, turns on the computer and he’s got 25 messages and he feels like he is a part of a movement that is happening (Jet, 1999, p.1).” This statement is exactly how hate groups attract and recruit others into joining their community and sharing their beliefs. The online hate groups allow people to anonymously participate in such sites and discussions, and make you feel accepted.

As the internet has grown and developed over the years, so have the capabilities of communication throughout the world. Through your computer you can be in contact with anyone at any particular time. Not only is it used to communicate, but certain people have used to share and preach about objectionable material with no risk. Today you are not going to see people in the streets or a gathering somewhere about white supremacy hatred towards other ethnic backgrounds. If the Ku Klux Klan were to have a meeting and protest their beliefs on the street, would people would just sit back and watch? No, it would be in the national news and people would try and stop the offensive behavior. A situation like this is not very likely to take place in the United States anymore because of the reaction it would get. Publicly, people have moved on from racial discrimination and it does not seem to be an issue anymore. This is how the internet is used to get around the public and hide offensive material. People with similar beliefs can join together on the internet, communicate and have their voice be heard by millions of other users. Why is it considered less offensive if it is being exploited all over the World Wide Web? It is not, and nobody is doing anything to help alleviate the problem. For some reason hate groups use the

Some topics in this essay:
United Corrections, Klux Klan, Google Excite, Harris Klebold, Derek Blacks, Rider/tribune Service, Wide Web, America Online, States” FamilyPC, Don Black, corrections 1999, online hate, web sites, people share, ku klux klan, ku klux, access internet, hate internet, similar beliefs, material internet, offensive material, offensive material internet, internet corrections 1999, rider/tribune service 1996, knights ku klux,