Link between Social-Media and Terrorism

Published on 03 Feb 2025

Social media platforms have played a significant role in shaping the modern landscape of terrorism, both in terms of communication and recruitment. Connectedness, Collaboration and Community can be identified as critical characteristics of social media.

• Recruitment and Radicalization: They exploit the wide reach and anonymity of social media to target susceptible individuals and manipulate them into adopting extremist beliefs.

• Example: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) effectively used social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram to recruit and radicalize individuals from around the world.

• Propaganda Dissemination: Social media provides a powerful tool for terrorist groups to disseminate propaganda, including graphic images, videos, and messages, to reach a global audience. 

• Example: The Taliban and other insurgent groups have used social media to share updates on their activities, claim responsibility for attacks, and promote their political agendas.

• Communication and Coordination: Social media platforms enable terrorists to communicate and coordinate attacks through encrypted messaging and private groups.

• Example: The perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services and social media to communicate with their handlers in Pakistan during the attack.

• Incitement and Inspiration: The open nature of social media allows for the rapid spread of extremist content, potentially inciting acts of violence, terror and retaliation. 

• Example: The perpetrator of the Christchurch Mosque shootings in 2019 livestreamed the attack on Facebook, spreading the act of violence and hate to a global audience.

• Funding and Support: Terrorist groups have been known to use social media for fundraising purposes, soliciting donations from sympathizers around the world. 

• Example: Terrorist groups have used cryptocurrencies to solicit and transfer funds anonymously.

• Encouraging radicalization: Some social media outlets and social media platforms have provided a platform for extremist groups or individuals who advocate violence or other forms of radicalization.

• Example: ISIS used social media to recruit Indian youths and inspire them to carry out terrorist attacks.

Tags:
Security

Keywords:
Internal security Social-Media Terrorism Propaganda

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 3

Topics:
Internal Security