Terrorist groups such as Al-qaeda and others have increased their online presence through the use of social media outlets such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, a recent study reveals.
Involvement with the social media allows the terrorist organizations to entail a more vehement proactive role in associating with a younger audience, the study said. Released by Woodrow Wilson Center's DC Commons Lab, it said that the increased use of social media by the groups created more challenges for thwarting attacks.
Gabriel Weimann, author of the report, said that from the point of view of a terrorist social media provides an important advantage of anonymity and become tools for recruitment, propaganda, fundraising and training.
According to news24, Weinmann argued that trying to block terrorists' online activity is mainly counterproductive, and that it may be more useful to monitor and learn from their online activities.
Further adding, that the Al Qaeda linked group al-Shabaab was removed from Twitter after the Westgate attack but it was regenerated in a few days.