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http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s12115-017-0114-0&domain=pdf
Web End = Soc (2017) 54:138149DOI 10.1007/s12115-017-0114-0
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s12115-017-0114-0&domain=pdf
Web End = SOCIAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY
Cyber-Extremism: Isis and the Power of Social Media
Imran Awan1
Published online: 15 March 2017# The Author(s) 2017. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Abstract The current crises in Syria has led to a number of Britons travelling abroad to fight with groups such as Isis. Capitalising on this growth, Isis are now increasingly fighting an online cyber war, with the use of slick videos, online messages of hate and even an app that all aim to radicalise and create a new generation of cyber jihadists. These modern day tools are helping Isis spread their propaganda and ideology to thousands of online sympathisers across the world. Indeed, the group has actively been using social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to recruit new would be members. This is being done through images and the streaming of violent online viral videos filmed and professionally edited that are targeting young and impressionable people. Portraying a glamorised and cool image, Isis fighters are beginning to act as the new rock stars of global cyber jihad. The Internet therefore is becoming the virtual playground for extremist views to be reinforced and act as an echo chamber. This study analysed 100 different Facebook pages and 50 Twitter user accounts which generated over 2050 results and helped the author create a typology of seven key behaviour characteristics and motivations. The findings in this study confirmed the authors original hypothesis, i.e. online hate is being used by groups such as Isis for a variety of reasons such as recruitment and propaganda. Moreover, this material is coordinated and controlled by Isis as a means for publishing and sending out key messages.
Keywords Isis . Cyber-terrorism . Extremism . Terrorism . Radicalisation . Online . Social media
Currently, there are estimated to be at least 750 Britains who have travelled to Syria to fight against President Assads forces (at the time of writing) (Whitehead, 2014). Within this heightened atmosphere, a hydra global insurgency from a plethora of extremist groups in Syria and Iraq, such as Isis, have emerged that all have links to an extremist narrative (International Centre for the Study of...