ISIS has stood out among other terrorist organizations for, among other factors, its deftness at strategic communication. Using propaganda to increase followership is certainly not new among terrorist organizations, nor among state aggressors. At al-Qaeda’s peak, they were exploiting satellite television, the Internet, DVD technology, and cellular communications to intimidate enemies and recruit supporters. But the extent to which ISIS has effectively used social media and cyber technology to recruit and inspire attacks has surpassed expectations and is the reason that the group is winning the War of Words.
ISIS message is straightforward: It is every Muslim’s responsibility to help build a caliphate governed under sharia law. Killing those that stand in the way of creating this caliphate and anyone that does not meet ISIS’ definition of a Muslim is, therefore, the cost of doing business.
By using Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms, ISIS has been able to attract vulnerable individuals from around the world to Syria and Iraq to fight in the jihad. “For many,” explained Richard Barrett of The Soufan Group, “it boils down to a lack of a sense of identity or belonging.” In a display of effective propaganda, ISIS uses photos of young Muslims enjoying themselves in an alluring Caliphate that offers public services, wealth, and popularity. This same message has inspired deadly attacks abroad for those wishing to join the jihad, as seen in Paris, San Bernardino, and Jakarta, to name a few.
Both social media and traditional media have also been part of ISIS’ intimidation campaign—another objective of its communication strategy. ISIS’ magazine publication, Dabiq, and YouTube have exposed ISIS as being a ruthless, persistent insurgent group. Although the global coalition against ISIS has made clear that they will never let terrorism intimidate them into submission, private citizens are more vulnerable to feelings of fear.
Through these tactics, ISIS has demonstrated impressive technical abilities, adaptability, and projection in spreading its message. “We are in a battle, and more than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media,” Ayman al-Zawahiri, then al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, purportedly wrote in 2005.
To better prepare for battle, the U.S. State Department and President Barack Obama established the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) in 2010. The Center set out to fight “the war of narratives” through online engagements to counter ISIS’ message, but in order to effectively counter their message would require the CSCC to come up with a better, and more interesting one.
Thus far, the CSCC and the State Department have yet to develop one. “You can’t adequately counter the seemingly miraculous taking of Mosul with a tweet or a video. A hashtag alone is not going to provide an adequate response to the slaughter of (Sunni Arab) Muslims in Syria,” Ambassador Alberto Fernandez, the former coordinator of the CSCC, told The Cipher Brief.
How then, do you counter the dramatic videos and utopian messages put out by ISIS that go viral almost instantly? “In this age of deep skepticism about those in power everywhere, what possible product of seemingly sclerotic regimes could credibly address the ‘cultural emotional dimension’ of jihadist mobilization?” Fernandez asked. “To a certain extent, governments will always be limited in presenting an adequate response to a convincingly told utopian vision.”
While the West struggles to develop its own counter message, there are other steps it can take. “Defensively, the U.S. and its allies should aim to reduce ISIS’s resonance online,” counterterrorism analyst Harleen Ghambir, told The Cipher Brief. This would include drowning out ISIS’ content, working with social media platform owners to shutdown pro-ISIS accounts and posts, and destroying their physical media infrastructure.
The war against ISIS will likely remain a hybridized effort on both sides, with military and digital operations being equally important. Until the U.S. can develop a counter message as strong as its military forces, ISIS’s promises will remain as appealing as ever.
Alana Garellek and Alexandra Viers are International Producers for The Cipher Brief.
