On October 31st, 2017, eight people were killed, and another eleven injured, when Sayfullo Saipov drove his truck into a crowded Manhattan(NYC)bike path. In addition to being charged for the deaths and injuries of those people, Saipov was also charged with ‘providing material support and resources’ to ISIS. Evidence of the latter came upon discovery of approximately 90ISIS propaganda videos on his phone —Saipov admits that those videos inspired him. AsJohn Miller,New York Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, explained, Saipov seemed to have followed almost exactly to a ‘T the instructions that ISIS has put out in its social media channels before, with instructions to their followers on how to carry out such an attack.” Importantly, then, Saipov was not an agent directed by ISIS, but rather was ‘self-radicalized’ as a result of ISIS’ online propaganda. Indeed, while ISIS’ ground forces have greatly diminished in areas like Iraq and Syria, its online presence remains massive. In 2011, the US government established the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) with the intent of disseminating information directly rejecting ISIS’ propaganda. However, to date, their efforts have been futile. According to one former CSCC head, from 2011 to 2015, CSCC produced about 300 counterterrorism videos; between 2014 and 2015, ISIS produced about 1,800videos.
For this paper, accomplish the following tasks’
1.Provide an overview of the definition of cyberterrorism presented by Minei and Matusitz.
2. After providing an outline of the traditional perspective on cyberterrorism, Minei and Matusitz examine the semiotic perspective —that is, the way in which cyberterrorism relies on propaganda to spread its message, recruit members and accomplish its goal of inciting fear and terror. In doing so, be sure to discuss their overview of the uses of propaganda by terrorist groups.
3. Minei and Matusitz provide a series of specific examples of the use of propaganda by cyberterrorist organizations. Choose two of these examples and explain them in detail.
4. Finally, Minei and Matusitz end by noting that the use of propaganda by cyberterrorists presents a major sociopolitical problem, especially as more and more people gain access to the internet (and thereby become susceptible to cyberterrorist influence). Do you believe that the use of propaganda by cyberterrorists presents a major threat to society? And if so, what steps do you believe that the government (or tech companies or some other organization(s)) should take in addressing this problem? Alternatively, if you believe that it does not pose a problem, then be
this osition?
