Terror in cyberspace : an exploration of terrorists’ social media usage and the concept of privacy

Abstract

As technology rapidly develops, our lives become more digitized and billions of global Internet users generate information for others to consume through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Features such as immediate access, anonymity, and cost free usage have created an infinite virtual society. These virtual connections have real-world implications as our connected devices not only transmit the information we want to convey but also our private information such as location, phone number, and who we are communication with. Terrorists have taken advantage of social media and given themselves a platform with vast outreach to gain support around the world and coordinate for future attacks. The data that links the physical being to their online persona could be immensely helpful in the counterterrorism field, however giving more access to intelligence agencies for this purpose could infringe on freedoms. This exploratory thesis analyzes technology, western legislation, and concepts of privacy, to consider the possible benefits of allowing intelligence officials greater access to our data.