The Weaponization of Social Media

Abstract

This thesis posits that the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh) has weaponized social media platforms such as Twitter in order to spread its narrative globally, recruit fighters, and spread terror. This thesis highlights instances in which the Islamic State uses social media at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war. The Islamic States' social media usage indicates a significant level of coordination and integration between those who fight on the physical battlefield and those who conduct operations in the social media domain. The United States' efforts to counter the Islamic State's social media narrative highlight a need for further interagency and joint service coordination.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 10, 2016
Accession Number
AD1020053

Entities

People

  • Jack Iii B. Irby

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Counterterrorism
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Foreign Relations
  • Geographic Regions
  • Geography
  • Mobile Phones
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Public Policy
  • Social Media
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.