It seems those pesky terrorists have joined us in the modern times by utilizing the internets to conduct their plans to piss off various hornet nests around the world. See, back in the good ol days, they had to send messages via snail mail, radio, or spread vhs or pamphlets around to garner support. Now, they can just send an email or to get support from prospective members, they use internet forums. So lately the various powers that be have been combing through these forums looking for hotspots of terrorist activities. And to combat such activities… they’ve resorted to the oldest of practices… TROLLING!
That’s right, your tax dollars are financing 4-chan’s finest to fight off these minions of destruction! See, here’s the theory… if you can undermine the ideals of the people trying to rally support and new members to fight the devils in the west, then the willingness to join such groups will drop; since you know, it’s all about empowerment and praying on high risk individuals, so doing things to pull the rug out from under that empowerment will collapse that momentum.
Interesting idea… trolling the terrorist forums to undermine their causes and make them look like fools. Not sure how solid the psychology behind this is, but if this actually works, then it’ll be a powerful anti-terrorism tool! That and it gives us countries in the crosshairs a chance to fire back where it hurts! Their epeens!
Source: Wired
It’s an interesting strategy to use trolling; I figure it can work to hamper the recruitment of new terrorists, but I honestly don’t believe that it will work in the long run. I think that those whom are “lost” and are searching for a meaning might think twice before joining if the forums are being trolled and the recruitment will therefore be hampered. Unfortunately, there are those who just plain simply hate and just want to see the world burn and I don’t think those people ever think twice. Trolling the forums will most likely not prevent the already hateful people to join and, in a worst case scenario, if the trolling is badly made then it might even work as fuel for the hatred and therefore might even work to the benefit of the terrorists.
the problem is that you’re dealing with people who are psychologically disturbed and “high risk” individuals… so trying to fix the problem at the source might not be as easy as they may lead you to believe. so you’re right, in the long run, a little trolling wont fix the problem; what needs to happen is to drop some psychologists into these countries for some impromptu therapy sessions.
Depends on the platform really. There are certain places to relax and troll away…but I usually retain my usual self.
And using Internet for Propoganda is asking destruction on a silver platter. Everyone knows that Internet will only unite if the Internet ITSELF will be threatened ( like SOPA or ACTA ) ….the rest ? will be dismissed as ” Dude, Y U so serious ?!”
AS for the Troll Theory or ”Tactic” of government….well I can expect from them to go even LOWER than those tactics…. hell they might be the ones to start those religous arguements ?! *Gasp* You know how frequent they are …..at ANY video ….on ANY TOPIC !
Internet Propaganda! I like the sound of that!
ha! who knows, maybe the whole of 4chan is just US government officials at work!
If someone is a fascist, I’ll call them a fascist but that’s about as bad as my forum etiquette will get.
I’d much rather use whatever DoD/CIA supercomputer and super virus that I’m sure the DoD/CIA have to just track what computer a post was made from and fry the computer (as well as whatever is running the website if the website allows it repeatedly), but that trolling might be a good/more fun idea too.
lol, I’m glad I don’t work in that cia office… cause I’d be too tempted to push that “fry target computer” button a few hundred times…