The Role of the (H)Ac(k)tivist

Non-government activist organizations have taken on a new role in the war against terror online. Groups such as Anonymous and InfoSec are notorious “protectors” of internet freedoms and have taken the rise of ISIS and other terror organizations in their space, perhaps more seriously than the government. What is the role of these so-called vigilante groups who are working on behalf of good but are not the government?

Counterterrorism and the Western Response

There has been a neglect on the part of Western governments with focus on the U.S. to take seriously the internet campaign that ISIS has been waging since 2014 and the affective response that still draws citizens from across the world into their promise of a civilized, united nation for Muslims. It is possible that the West, even with a severely increased commitment to fighting the Islamic State, may be too late. This chapter will explore responses by Western governments including the United States to fight internet-enabled terrorism.

Global Digital Terror

as the internet and its applications grew more sophisticated and widespread, so too did the strategy of modern terrorist groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram. The existence of the dark web adds to the online arsenal of groups using digital networks and sites to promulgate ideology or recruit supporters. This chapter will focus on developments such as Twitter and Facebook and the adept use of these tools by savvy terrorist cells (who are becoming much younger, demographically speaking).

The Adoption and Progression of Media-Driven Jihad

This chapter focuses on the utilization of the internet and digital technologies in terror organizations in the early years of the digital age to the present use of these tools by the Islamic State. The chapter explains the progression of using available technologies and mediums in order to recruit and spread jihadist ideologies around the world.

End Game

This chapter provides concluding remarks regarding combating internet-enabled terrorism, evaluating government versus activist responses, and suggestions for cooperation among the spheres.

Digital Terrorism and Varied Actors

This chapter focuses on the new wave of global, digital terrorism and how actors are using new technologies (including creating their own applications and software) to inflict terror upon populations. Cyber warfare will also be discussed extensively in this chapter as the world has witnessed a rise in detrimental attacks such as Petya and WannaCry.