Media' Impact on Terrorism

As I have learned throughout this course, terrorist groups always have particular motivations and goals for committing their violent acts. "Each wants maximum publicity to be generated by its actions and, moreover, aims at intimidation and subjection to attain its objectives" (Hoffman, pg. 182). Terrorists seek control and domination through getting others' attention and sparking a fear that they will remember. The violent and criminal acts that they participate in assist in communicating a message. One way that messages are being communicated to a larger audience is through media. ISIS is a group that has taken full advantage of the evolving world of media to promote their cause and beliefs.

In Inside Terrorism, Bruce Hoffman states, "The modern news media, as the principal conduit of information about such acts, thus play a vital part in the terrorists' calculus" (Hoffman, pg.183). The general media (television, newspaper, online) has had a tremendous amount of impact on terrorists’ groups, especially ISIS. ISIS members are able to control what they put together and produce for the public eye. The ISIS leaders and members use ideas and traditions formed from the early origins of Islam and apply it to today’s views on the government and society. They are able to create a perspective of their life and ways by using propaganda. "In sum, propaganda is directed toward a committed audience to strengthen resolve or toward un uncommitted audience to win sympathy and support" (Hoffman, pg. 207). From what I have researched, the development of "mass communication technology" has been a very significant tool for ISIS. With the newspaper and television, news is getting out to people in a more timelier manner. The media is almost like a stage for ISIS to commit their acts of terrorism because they are able to gain exposure in their beliefs and motives behind the violence. Mass communication technology provided ISIS with the opportunity to communicate on a larger scale.

Specifically, the mass communication technology that ISIS heavily uses on a daily basis is the online and social media platform. In the article by Scott Shane and Ben Hubbard, they say that ISIS is "using every contemporary mode of messaging to recruit fighter, intimidate enemies and promote its claim to have established a caliphate..." (Shane & Hubbard). ISIS is using media to communicate to its supporters and also to recruit new followers as well in an effort to "secure and expand the Islamic State" (Shane & Hubbard). On the multiple ISIS websites and social media accounts, one can find graphics, facts and objectives regarding the group, speeches and stories, videos of their violent acts, and even bios about the leaders of ISIS. They are doing everything in their power to make themselves seem appealing to others. "IS has stood out from terrorist predecessors for the quality of its propaganda. Its video productions are "a generation ahead" of other groups..." (The propaganda war). The biggest positive about the internet and social media to ISIS is that they are able to have some kind of influence on people from anywhere in the world with just one press of a button. This would be why this new era of mass communication technology is so attractive to them.

“Ease, interactivity, networking, reach, frequency, usability, stability, immediacy, publicity, and permanence are among benefits to terrorist groups such as ISIS, which have quickly harnessed and exploited these technologies for their nefarious purposes” (Hoffman, pg. 232). Because of the power of the internet and social media platform, it makes it hard for a country like the United States to counter IS' online media campaign. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are just a few examples of platforms that ISIS uses to influence others to drive their religious movement. The first difficulty I noticed is that the U.S. would have to be able to have a plan to counter all of the audiences that ISIS aims in targeting with their information. There are 3 different audiences that they try to target. First would be the ISIS supporters and members already a part of the group. Then would be an audience of people who are non-members that ISIS will try to use media to recruit them to join the group. Finally, would be an audience involving young Muslims who are intrigued by the group, and are still looking to find their own identity and affiliations like we learned in the previous unit. In the “Learning Area” reading, Emile Nakhleh states, “Young people look at ISIS and say, “By gosh, they’re doing it!” They see the videos with fighter riding on big tanks. They see that ISIS has money.” The strategy developed for countering would have to consist of relating to each of those audiences to have an impact on them.

Another difficulty that I have noticed from the readings is that people from outside of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria region have a difficult time understanding their views and ideology. They are strategically making themselves appealing in an effort to build upon their society that they have created. In the article, "What ISIS Really Wants", it states, "We'll need to get acquainted with the Islamic State's intellectual genealogy if we are to react in a way that will not strengthen it, but instead help it self-immolate in its own excessive zeal." ISIS is trying to influence people all over the world, and with the way that the online and social media platform has evolved, it definitely is tough to counter IS' online media campaign.

The biggest way that I have seen ISIS differentiate themselves from other propaganda media campaigns, such as from the Cold War, is with the different technology that was being used. During the Cold War, mostly the media that was used by terrorist organizations in that time involved the radio, underground newspapers, and conventional, commercial, or state-owned mass media (Hoffman, pg. 207). ISIS has way more innovative media technology available to them such as the Internet, video production equipment, and social media. During the times of the Cold War, terrorists were just beginning to experience the type of impact media can have on people, and ISIS has taken that information and made significant strides. Social media has been a huge advantage for terrorist groups like ISIS in expressing and communicating their message to people around the world. "...terrorist and insurgent groups today have introduced an even more direct and personally intimate form of messaging" (Hoffman, pg. 231).

It has been very interesting to see how much of an impact that the media world has had on terrorist groups like ISIS. ISIS has truly adopted the evolution of technology throughout the years as a way to communicate their message to the public and their supporters. There is going to have to be a good amount of time and planning put in by the United States to try and counter IS’ online media campaign.