Internet: A Terrorist Medium for the 21st Century (From The Future of Terrorism: Violence in the New Millennium, 208-224, 1998, Harvey W. Kushner, ed., -- see NCJ-191292)

• NCJ Number: 191304
• Author(s): Kelly R. Damphousse; Brent L. Smith
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter investigates the use of the Internet by two types of violent protest groups: those that hate certain types of people and those that oppose certain types of policies.

Abstract

The term protest groups is used to refer to both potential and active terrorist groups. The Internet has allowed protest groups to communicate with greater ease. Protest groups and terrorist groups engage in behaviors designed to send messages to outsiders. Propaganda is used by protest groups to inform the general public or other more specific groups about some problem in an effort to make them feel the necessity of some action. Traditionally the printed word has been used. Shortwave radio has also been used but access to a larger audience is restricted. Talk radio has allowed members of protest groups to discuss their concerns with a host and a national audience. The advent of the World Wide Web (WWW) provided protest groups with access to a communication arena that was in printed format, relatively inexpensive, and accessible to almost anyone in the world. Data were compiled during a two-year research project (1995-1996) designed to examine how protest groups used the Internet for communication purposes. The Internet, especially the WWW, can be used by protest groups in five ways. First, the inexpensive and broad access allows protest groups to present propaganda to people “just dropping by.” It provides information to like-minded people about specific topics of concern. It allows angry protest groups to level written attacks on the objects of their anger. Protest groups can use the Internet to request financial assistance from the general public. The Internet can be used to perform acts of terrorism. Protest groups using the WWW to perform acts of terrorism pose four possible threats. They can access other home pages and deface or change them to provide alternative information. They can impair vital government or corporate communication processes. They could directly access financial institutions and perform account transfers. And they could access information housed on government computers.