Tag: ISIS

Twitter Shuts Down 125,000 Accounts For Promoting Terrorist Activity

Twitter took off 125,000 accounts from the website for threatening or promoting terrorist activity. All these accounts were linked to the extremist group, ISIS -both its members as well as sympathisers. ISIS’ tech-expertise are no big secret. Its members have been brazenly using the virtual space to get their message across.

There has been no official verification for the identity of the users of these accounts. Also, if they truly were related to ISIS -there really is no way to know how effective this move was. Many of these accounts are often handled by the same person who can very easily create another network of Twitter accounts and pick up exactly from where they left.

In the past, ISIS has used many apps, websites, softwares and all sorts of virtual entities to keep itself on its feet. While SoundCloud has been used to release audio reports, Instagram and WhatsApp have been the platforms to share graphic content in the form of videos and images.

Battle summaries have been published on JustPaste, while hundreds of questions have been answered about joining ISIS on Ask.fm. The website also gives guidelines regarding the footwear to carry and availability of toothbrushes for new recruits.

Reportedly, many ISIS volunteers have been put in touch with members of the organisation in Turkey or Syria following an introduction that says, “Kik me”, followed by discussion in private on many smartphones-based virtual platforms.

Quite recently a woman in the US sued Twitter for allowing official ISIS accounts to run on its platform, sparking off yet another debate about the exchange of content on social media.

The lawsuit followed an attack by an ISIS member on November 9th when he shot down five people to death in Jordan. Two of them happened to be Americans. The husband of the plaintiff was one of the two American victims.

However, despite various complaints and lawsuits over the last couple of years, no serious action has been possible against any social media platform. Websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It means that these websites are exempt from laws that would otherwise make them responsible for the content that users put up on their platform.

Additionally, US authorities often prefer the existence of accounts of antisocial elements. Officials think activities on social media platforms would enable them to keep an eye on ISIS and their supporters. Issues like these have been a much debated topic with no imminent conclusion for now. Twitter, on the other hand, has decided to take some form of a definitive step and remove 125,000 accounts. A lot of Anons will sleep more peacefully than usual tonight.

February 7, 2016
US Woman Sues Twitter For Allowing ISIS Accounts on its Platform

A woman in the US has sued Twitter for allowing official ISIS accounts to run on its platform, sparking off yet another debate about the exchange of content on social media.

This lawsuit follows an attack by an ISIS member on November 9th when he shot down five people to death in Jordan. Two of them happened to be Americans. The husband of the plaintiff was one of the two American victims. The lawsuit demands unspecified damages from Twitter.

The fact that ISIS is immensely tech-savvy and uses various social media platforms to assert its presence has been a topic of debate for a while now. The extremist group has a team of social media experts to take care of the content it puts up on different networking websites. But all of these networking portals defend themselves by stating that they are simply the channels of content-exchange, with no participation in the creation of this content whatsoever.

Websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It means that these websites are exempt from laws that would otherwise make them responsible for the content that users put up on their platform.

However, the lawsuit claims, “for years, Twitter has knowingly permitted the terrorist group ISIS to use its social network as a tool for spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds and attracting new recruits. This material support has been instrumental to the rise of ISIS and has enabled it to carry out numerous terrorist attacks.”

Twitter defended itself in an official statement where it claimed, “While we believe the lawsuit is without merit, we are deeply saddened to hear of this family’s terrible loss. Like people around the world, we are horrified by the atrocities perpetrated by extremist groups and their ripple effects on the Internet. Violent threats and the promotion of terrorism deserve no place on Twitter and, like other social networks, our rules make that clear.”

Source

January 15, 2016
Meet the Anime Revolutionaries Who Want to Silence the ISIS

In case you missed it, ISIS Chan is the new anime activist, created by anime nerds all over the world to silence violent ISIS terrorist propaganda. ISIS Chan is a girl who wears the terrorist group’s black clothing, has green eyes and dark hair. She is 19 years old and holds a knife, only because she loves to slice and eat melons!

The aim of these ‘revolutionaries’ is to hijack the terrorist group’s messages and replace them with this cute anime character. They hope that one day when people all over the world google ISIS they won’t have to see intimidating pictures of terrorists with AK-47 guns, but instead, this cute anime character, who represents the opposite of what the terrorist group propagates.

Some call it the ‘Google Bomb’, a war of attrition, where images are ammunition and “search engine optimization” is the rule of engagement.” The group reportedly said:

“The World Wide Web is our battlefield,we want to change the meaning of the term ‘ISIS’.”

Winning this war would mean a monumental change, since Google keeps its algorithms a secret. With the basic rule for its search results being popularity, the group has reported more than 3000 original images from an unknown number of supporters mainly from Asia. As of now though, most supporters prefer to remain anonymous, fearing an attack from the terrorist group.

The idea of ISIS Chan emerged in japan when the group killed two Japanese hostages. The country being unable to retaliate militarily, did so in the best way they knew how to: anime. Animators had independently photoshopped ISIS images of the murder and replaced the killer’s knife with a banana!

The only anti-ISIS activist who is known on Twitter, known as, GenKnoxx reported that they did this to make people who try to be terrifying look ridiculous. Despite being anti-ISIS the group has some simple rules such as: no insulting Islam or showing religious symbols. Respecting the images of hostages, no gore or porn.

ISIS now has ISIS Chan and anything you decide to post on Twitter with the hashtag #ISISChan gets shared by the leading activist @isisvipper. So get tweeting and spread the awareness.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/23/technology/isis-chan/index.html”]CNNMoney[/tw-button]

July 24, 2015