Social media is often used by companies for adverting or sharing new information with the world. It gives companies access to the global world, instead of the local areas. The global accessibility of social media van be seen as a big advantage, but also as a disadvantage. What to think about terrorism, which uses social media platform in order to share their thoughts about the world.
The use of social media by terrorists was also recognized by Robert Hannigan, the head of GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarter). He gave a several examples which were used by terrorists in order to spread their ideas or covering their identities. Terrorists now have access to encryption tools, which they use to cover their identities.
Isis uses many social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. They share their ideas and even videos of prisoners who are getting tortured or killed. Even blocking these terrorists account does not help, because Isis uses thousands accounts in order to be always online and active on social media. This problem has even been on the CNN News where they have discussed about Twitter which has been used multiple times by terrorist to spread their message.
Even Al-Qaeda is using social media platforms in order to influence other people to follow their thoughts or by sending manipulative texts or images. There is a slight different between the use of social media by Al-Qaeda and Isis. Isis has more a directive approach by even sending beheading videos to the world.
The use of social media as a marketing tool for companies and government is a well known example, but what can we do to stop or minimize the use of social media by terrorists. Only by blocking accounts of terrorist we won’t stop terrorism, because it’s easy to make another account. Should some social media platform block their platform for certain countries? Another solution could be by making some social media platforms more personal by asking for your passport numbers for example. It sounds crazy but you could minimize the use of social media by terrorism through this action. What other ideas do you have to solve or minimize this problem?
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11207681/How-terrorists-are-using-social-media.html, 04 November 2014)