Perception Challenges Faced by Al-Qaeda on the Battlefield of Influence Warfare

<em>Many kinds of entities&mdash;including terrorists and insurgents&mdash;seek to influence perceptions and behavior among various target audiences, and have become increasingly reliant on the Internet in their efforts, incorporating social media, blogging, public video sharing and ot...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: James J.F. Forest
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Massachusetts Lowell 2012-03-01
Series:Perspectives on Terrorism
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/179
Description
Summary:<em>Many kinds of entities&mdash;including terrorists and insurgents&mdash;seek to influence perceptions and behavior among various target audiences, and have become increasingly reliant on the Internet in their efforts, incorporating social media, blogging, public video sharing and other online tools. This article is focused on the ideological messages that terrorist groups use to convey with these tools. Drawing from a study of </em>Al-Qaeda<em>, this discussion illustrates how ideologies of violence have certain vulnerabilities that can be exploited in order to degrade a terrorist group&rsquo;s ability to achieve its objectives. While crafting and disseminating counter-narratives can be a critical part of a counterterrorism strategy, it is also important to identify ways in which terrorists undermine their own central narratives and exacerbate pre-existing &ldquo;influence warfare&rdquo; challenges</em>
ISSN:2334-3745
2334-3745