Social Media and Terrorism: A Criminal Law Perspective (March 2020)

This report delves into the critical intersection of social media and terrorism, exploring how terrorist groups leverage online platforms for communication, recruitment, and dissemination of information. The analysis provides a criminal law perspective, examining how social media tools have facilitated terrorist activities, including easy access, large audience reach, and the ability to bypass restrictions. The report highlights the challenges governments face in countering terrorism, including the need to address the exploitation of social media by terrorist groups. References from various sources are provided to support the arguments presented. The report also touches upon the myths of terrorism in America and the narratives used by both terrorist groups and Western governments.

RUNNING HEAD: CRIMINAL LAW 0
Social media benefits to
terrorist groups or
governments
March 16
2020

CRIMINAL LAW 1
Terrorism in the widest sense is practicing violence intentionally for religious or political
purposes. There are different definitions of terrorism. In simple words, terrorism is something
that is morally wrong and affects civilians negatively. All the Government of respective
countries makes plans and policies to fight terrorism and keep the population safe. Social media
tools are easy to access and are cheap to use. Terrorist groups and individuals communicate on
social media platforms very simply.
Social media and terrorism
Social media is a platform that is convenient to use and has a wide reach. Platforms like
YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, etc. have given easy connection form to the terrorists. Terrorist
groups and individuals have used social media as connections between them they have recruit
members through it, they have spread messages through social media, and most importantly they
have all the information of the countries. According to Gabriel Weimann, he found out that
around 90 % of planned terrorism practices take place via social media (CBC 2012). Terror
groups take social media as their communication source because tools are cheap and accessible.
According to Rob Wainwright, ISIS has used more than one hundred sites to spread messages
(Wainwright 2018).
Government countering terrorism
Every country's government attempts to counter-terrorism in its way. Government officials have
tried to convenience social media corporations to stop hosting stuff from terror groups. Also, the
government has especially demanded the companies to not authorize terror groups to use the
social media tools. For example, the U.S. officials requested twitter to shut down Al-Shabaab’s
account because it is a terrorist, jihadist fundamentalist group based in East Africa (FRIEDMAN
2011).
Terrorist benefits from social media
Terrorist groups and individuals search for a platform that is easy to use and the terror group
members can use the platform easily as well. Anyone with little knowledge can learn operating
social media platforms. Social media benefits terrorist activities more than it benefits any
country’s government (Bertram 2016).

CRIMINAL LAW 2
Easy communication and easy access
Terrorist groups and individuals can easily communicate any social media tool like normal
people. Social media platforms cannot differentiate between the users who are naive and who are
part of terrorist activities. Social media is easily accessible and is used by a wide range of
population that involves every age group. Like every normal human being, any terrorist can also
use social media.
Large audience
Generally, on social media, there is a large number of the audience present. The large availability
of people helps the groups to increase the members in their terror groups by hook or crook.
Social media allows direct talking to the audience. One can upload any video, information, or
details about any topic on social media. Terrorist groups and individuals can also upload without
any restrictions.
Social media benefits terrorist groups and individuals more as compared to the government. By
investing very little time, money, and efforts one can develop a website on the internet that will
be easily accessible for everyone to use.

CRIMINAL LAW 3
References
Bertram, L. “Terrorism, the Internet and the Social Media Advantage: Exploring how terrorist
organizations exploit aspects of the internet, social media and how these same platforms
could be used to counter-violent extremism. .” Journal for Deradicalization, 2016: 225-
252.
CBC. Terrorist groups recruiting through social media. 11 January 2012.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/terrorist-groups-recruiting-through-social-media-
1.1131053 (accessed March 15, 2020).
FRIEDMAN , Uri. U.S. officials may take action again al-Shabab’s Twitter account. 20
December 2011. https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/12/20/u-s-officials-may-take-action-
again-al-shababs-twitter-account/ (accessed March 16, 2020).
Wainwright, Rob. “Fighting Crime and Terrorism.” LogoThe Brown Journal of World Affair,
2018: 198-202.