Cybersecurity

Should Terror Be Fought Online?

An increasing number of countries are calling for the establishment of cyber defense agencies as the key to combating terrorism, as militant groups increasingly use technology and the Internet not only to spread propaganda but also to recruit and train new members. As militant groups effectively use the Internet and social media for propaganda, training and recruitment as well as for logistics and funding sources, many claim that this new, modern cyber terrain should be where the fight against it will take place.

The US government recognized the importance of engaging in the cyber battle. “We need to find new ways to amplify the voices of peace and tolerance and inclusion, and we especially need to do it online,” President Obama said in February. But so far, there’s little doubt that ISIS is winning on the social media front.