TY - GEN

T1 - The threat of using advanced technologies by terrorists: Psychological aspect

AU - Bazarkina, Darya

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - The development of advanced technologies significantly increases their availability for a wide range of potentially dangerous subjects of world politics (organized criminal groups, mercenaries, terrorist organizations). Terrorist propaganda adapts to the expectations of the target audience—an important part of which, for terrorist groups, are potential and real recruits. For example, to recruit young people into its ranks, the German-language magazine Kybernetiq was launched. In addition to instructions on how to bypass the blocking of propaganda messages, it published an ideologically verified story in the genre of science fiction. Not least, for recruitment, the terrorists publish materials aimed at developing a more “high-tech” image of a terrorist, which combines the traits of a fanatic and, for example, a skilled hacker. These phenomena may serve as a prologue to a new, much more dangerous phase of terrorist activity, in which terrorist attacks can become much more destructive and in which their perpetrators (who will operate at a distance with the help of the advanced technology), will be extremely difficult to detect. In preparing this paper, qualitative research methods have become a priority. We used the method of case studies. The method of scenario analysis was partially used to predict possible threats to psychological security arising from terrorist organizations as advanced technologies become cheaper and more widespread. The central point of the paper is the analysis of the use of the image of advanced technologies in terrorist propaganda. However, in order to fully understand the nature of the threat, some real cases of terrorists using such advanced technologies as unmanned aerial vehicles, computer viruses, “big data” monitoring tools, etc., have been studied. Special reference is given to the malicious use of artificial intelligence. The documented use of social media monitoring tools, cryptography programs and drones by terrorists suggests that once new technologies become widely available to the consumer, terrorists will also be able to use them. In addition “risk groups” for terrorist recruitment: young people who are passionate about technology; ICT professionals; a wide audience of people interested in both political issues and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.

AB - The development of advanced technologies significantly increases their availability for a wide range of potentially dangerous subjects of world politics (organized criminal groups, mercenaries, terrorist organizations). Terrorist propaganda adapts to the expectations of the target audience—an important part of which, for terrorist groups, are potential and real recruits. For example, to recruit young people into its ranks, the German-language magazine Kybernetiq was launched. In addition to instructions on how to bypass the blocking of propaganda messages, it published an ideologically verified story in the genre of science fiction. Not least, for recruitment, the terrorists publish materials aimed at developing a more “high-tech” image of a terrorist, which combines the traits of a fanatic and, for example, a skilled hacker. These phenomena may serve as a prologue to a new, much more dangerous phase of terrorist activity, in which terrorist attacks can become much more destructive and in which their perpetrators (who will operate at a distance with the help of the advanced technology), will be extremely difficult to detect. In preparing this paper, qualitative research methods have become a priority. We used the method of case studies. The method of scenario analysis was partially used to predict possible threats to psychological security arising from terrorist organizations as advanced technologies become cheaper and more widespread. The central point of the paper is the analysis of the use of the image of advanced technologies in terrorist propaganda. However, in order to fully understand the nature of the threat, some real cases of terrorists using such advanced technologies as unmanned aerial vehicles, computer viruses, “big data” monitoring tools, etc., have been studied. Special reference is given to the malicious use of artificial intelligence. The documented use of social media monitoring tools, cryptography programs and drones by terrorists suggests that once new technologies become widely available to the consumer, terrorists will also be able to use them. In addition “risk groups” for terrorist recruitment: young people who are passionate about technology; ICT professionals; a wide audience of people interested in both political issues and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.

KW - Advanced technologies

KW - Artificial intelligence

KW - Communication

KW - Psychological warfare

KW - Terrorism

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097852697&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.34190/EAIR.20.026

DO - 10.34190/EAIR.20.026

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85097852697

SP - 14

EP - 20

BT - Proceedings of the European Conference on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, ECIAIR 2020

ER -