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Terrorism and the weaponisation of the social media

Social media use has increased dramatically over the past decade and is now a major source of information and influence. Used legitimately, it is a vital tool for communication.

Unfortunately, it can help groups and individuals with less positive intentions to promote violent ideologies, create confusion and spread fear among the general public. Terrorists use a number of methods to indoctrinate and radicalise new followers.

With the growth of the Internet and the explosion in popularity of social networking sites all over the world in recent years, terrorist groups have significantly increased their global reach. They are now able to spread propaganda and recruit half way around the world from the convenience of an Internet cafe. Terrorist groups and their members have made a concerted effort to increase their presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to go along with their existing Internet presence on web sites, forums, and message boards.

Editor's Comment
No room for perjury

It seems some government accounting officers, sworn to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing else but the truth" before Almighty God, may have deliberately lied during the committee’s vital work. If proven, this is not merely unprofessional; it is perjury, a serious criminal offence and it strikes at the very heart of responsible government.The PAC’s role is fundamental. After each financial year, it painstakingly examines how public...

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