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US launches online campaign against ISIS
State Department posts counter-propaganda clip to YouTube urging potential recruits to 'think again, turn away'.Published: 09.06.14,
WASHINGTON The Obama administration launched an online campaign to combat Islamic State's recruitment of Muslims, in the wake of the terror group's dramatic rise to popularity.
A graphic video posted to YouTube, titled "Welcome to the Islamic State", is the first salvo in the US campaign, which uses Islamic State's own propaganda slogan (Run, do not walk to ISIS land) to highlight the group's terror activities.
The web campaign is intended to make potential recruits to ISIS reconsider their decision by using Islamic State's own footage and clips. The counter-propaganda video says ISIS is seeking recruits to blow up mosques and crucify Muslims.
The campaign calls on prospective recruits to the radical group to "Think Again, Turn Away" before ending with the chilling message: "Travel is inexpensive, because you won't need a return ticket!" and a body being thrown from a cliff.
in full: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4568107,00.html
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US launches online campaign against ISIS (Original Post)
Jefferson23
Sep 2014
OP
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)1. It still baffles me how ISIS is allowed to post anywhere...
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)2. Attempts to silence ISIS online could backfire.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a Sunni militant group, now holds territory in Syria and Iraq that is roughly the size of Belgium. But its also gaining ground on the Internet.
ISISs presence on social media is quite sophisticated and relies on strategies that inflate and control its message, wrote J.M. Berger in the Atlantic. In addition to maintaining accounts on popular social media sites, ISIS launched its own app in the Google Play store (now removed) and has utilized hashtags on Twitter to focus-group messaging and branding concepts, much like a Western corporation might.
The story of how the Iraqi government is dealing with ISISs online presence has taken a backseat to the debate in U.S. media around military action. But it can easily be summed up in two words: not well.
Only about 7.1 percent of Iraqs population of 32.5 million people use the Internet. Add to that the U.S. occupation and ensuing conflict that has beleaguered the country, and it makes sense that Internet regulation has been a low priority for Iraqs leaders. Historically, the Internet in the country has remained mostly free from restrictions, and a 2012 attempt to institute a cybercrime law failed. Despite slow speeds, Iraq has managed to remain an open Internet zone.
In shuttering social media, Iraqs leadership isnt just silencing ISIS.
But no longer: In the wake of ISISs online onslaught, the embattled Iraqi leadership has scrambled to curb its influence. First, the Ministry of Communications ordered Internet service providers to block Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Just a few days after the sites were blocked, however, the ban was reversed. Then, a ministry directive to ISPs to shut down the Internet in five provinces and limit the use of virtual private networks and other sites was leaked, prompting outrage from Iraqi activists. It has also been reported that the Iraqi government used the opportunity to block pornography.
The Iraqi government isnt the only entity fighting ISIS online. On June 13, Twitter began suspending accounts belonging to the group. The removal of one account, @Nnewsi, drew particular ire from WikiLeaks, which tweeted its condemnation of the move. The account had been tweeting news of ISISs maneuvers, providing journalists and others with a direct account of the groups actions.
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/06/isis_twitter_suspended_how_attempts_to_silence_terrorists_online_could_backfire.html
ISISs presence on social media is quite sophisticated and relies on strategies that inflate and control its message, wrote J.M. Berger in the Atlantic. In addition to maintaining accounts on popular social media sites, ISIS launched its own app in the Google Play store (now removed) and has utilized hashtags on Twitter to focus-group messaging and branding concepts, much like a Western corporation might.
The story of how the Iraqi government is dealing with ISISs online presence has taken a backseat to the debate in U.S. media around military action. But it can easily be summed up in two words: not well.
Only about 7.1 percent of Iraqs population of 32.5 million people use the Internet. Add to that the U.S. occupation and ensuing conflict that has beleaguered the country, and it makes sense that Internet regulation has been a low priority for Iraqs leaders. Historically, the Internet in the country has remained mostly free from restrictions, and a 2012 attempt to institute a cybercrime law failed. Despite slow speeds, Iraq has managed to remain an open Internet zone.
In shuttering social media, Iraqs leadership isnt just silencing ISIS.
But no longer: In the wake of ISISs online onslaught, the embattled Iraqi leadership has scrambled to curb its influence. First, the Ministry of Communications ordered Internet service providers to block Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Just a few days after the sites were blocked, however, the ban was reversed. Then, a ministry directive to ISPs to shut down the Internet in five provinces and limit the use of virtual private networks and other sites was leaked, prompting outrage from Iraqi activists. It has also been reported that the Iraqi government used the opportunity to block pornography.
The Iraqi government isnt the only entity fighting ISIS online. On June 13, Twitter began suspending accounts belonging to the group. The removal of one account, @Nnewsi, drew particular ire from WikiLeaks, which tweeted its condemnation of the move. The account had been tweeting news of ISISs maneuvers, providing journalists and others with a direct account of the groups actions.
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/06/isis_twitter_suspended_how_attempts_to_silence_terrorists_online_could_backfire.html
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)3. This reeks of sophisticated marketing punctuated by a complete
lack of willingness to target ISIS specific posters.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)4. Problematic, for sure. n/t