Monday, June 30, 2014
New and Noted: 'Playing with Religion in Digital Games'
RNS, New Book Sheds Light on the Role Played by Religion in Digital Games "The book Playing with Religion in Digital Games spotlights the growing influence religion has in digital gaming. It also showcases the increased attention by scholars around the world to digital gaming and its impact on popular conceptions of religion." 
ISIS round-up
Here's a collection of articles and links relating to ISIS over the past week. Obviously it is not possible to gather them all up, but I am focusing on the online activities here. Check out my Twitter and Facebook for more info.
Independent, Iraq crisis: Isis changes name and declares its territories a new Islamic state with 'restoration of caliphate' in Middle East "The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) has reportedly declared the areas it occupies in Iraq and Syria as a new Islamic state, removing Iraq and the Levant from its name and ushering in “a new era of international jihad”."
Thomas Hegghammer, Sample messages from #CalamityWillBefallUS Twitter campaign
The Guardian, Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation?, 23 June 2014
alarabiya.net, How ISIS conquered social media, 24 June 2014 "After seizing swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, the Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is expanding its presence on social media, using sophisticated techniques to recruit fighters, spread its propaganda and garner financial support."
Infowars, ISIS Releases Global Takeover Map
Mail Online, Inside the ISIS gift shop: Online jihadist spring/summer collection of T-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps shocks internet
BBC News, Iraq conflict: What does 'caliphate' mean?
Motherboard, Iraq's ISIS-Targeting Internet Bans Have Caused a Huge Surge in Tor Usage "Of everything the Iraqi government has thrown at a rapidly-advancing Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), nothing yet has made a major dent in the jihadist militant group's push toward Baghdad. According to a study from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, even the internet filtering imposed by the Iraqi government to hinder ISIS communications is being subverted."
Jamie Bartlett, Telegraph, Isis and their so-called social media genius " ... enough of them are also smartphone-using digital natives in their twenties. They know that building an Android app really isn’t that hard, and giving interviews to Vice magazine or posting picture of cats is a fairly obvious and easy thing to do to get more coverage. No wonder they are good at it. It’s the same reason governments aren’t. It’s what they’ve grown up with."
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
BBC Radio Wales - Good Morning Wales
BBC Radio Wales - Good Morning Wales, 24/06/2014 Here's a link to the programme on BBC Radio Wales I was interviewed on this morning. My contribution starts at 01:12:45 (live from my kitchen table!), in which I briefly discuss 'radicalisation' issues.
Monday, June 23, 2014
How ISIS Games Twitter
How ISIS Games Twitter - J.M. Berger - The Atlantic:
"Media attention has focused, not unreasonably, on ISIS’s use of social media to spread pictures of graphic violence, attract new fighters, and incite lone wolves. But it’s important to recognize that these activities are supported by sophisticated online machinery. ISIS does have legitimate support online—but less than it might seem. And it owes a lot of that support to a calculated campaign that would put American social-media-marketing gurus to shame."
"Media attention has focused, not unreasonably, on ISIS’s use of social media to spread pictures of graphic violence, attract new fighters, and incite lone wolves. But it’s important to recognize that these activities are supported by sophisticated online machinery. ISIS does have legitimate support online—but less than it might seem. And it owes a lot of that support to a calculated campaign that would put American social-media-marketing gurus to shame."
Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation?
Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation? | World news | The Guardian: article by Patrick Kingsley, with substantial useful detail. "The extremist jihadist group leading the insurgency against the Iraqi government is using apps, social media and even a feature-length movie to intimidate enemies, recruit new followers and spread its message. And its rivals – including foreign governments – are struggling to keep up."
Teen known as ‘Osama Bin Bieber’ fights alongside ISIS
Teen known as ‘Osama Bin Bieber’ fights alongside ISIS - Al Arabiya News "There are Instagram pictures, posted by Hadi, that show him holding guns and tweets claiming that he is in Syria with 'Dawla', another name for ISIS."
Dark day for media freedom as Al Jazeera journalists convicted
Dark day for media freedom as Al Jazeera journalists convicted | Amnesty International "The conviction today of three Al Jazeera English journalists accused of “falsifying news” and belonging to or assisting the banned Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt is a ferocious attack on media freedom, said Amnesty International."
Banned cleric preached at mosque where jihadi brothers worshipped
Banned cleric preached at mosque where jihadi brothers worshipped - Telegraph "It is understood that children in Cardiff’s Muslim community have been receiving messages from Nasser Muthana in Syria via the mobile phone messaging service WhatsApp."
China cracks down on online terrorist material
China cracks down on online terrorist material - Firstpost "China launched a campaign Friday to rid the internet of audio and video material that promotes terrorism and violence."
As Iraq censors Internet, Tor usage jumps tenfold
TheDailyDot, As Iraq censors Internet, Tor usage jumps tenfold: "As the Iraqi government censors large swaths of the Internet following devastating attacks and victories by the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), thousands of people are adopting Tor, the most popular anonymizing tool online, to get around government obstruction."
Father of Isis volunteer: 'My son has betrayed Britain'
Father of Isis volunteer: 'My son has betrayed Britain' | World news | The Guardian "At the Manar centre in Glynrhondda Street, Cardiff, one of the places where the Muthana brothers worshipped, elders suggested that the men must have been radicalised via the internet.
"Trustee Barak Albayaty said: "Nasser Muthana was just like any other guy. I was shocked to see him in the video. But I am sure coming here is not the source of radicalism. We're against going to Syria for the armed struggle and have spelt this out on many occasions. The boys are affected by the internet. It's not just Cardiff, it's all over the UK.""
"Trustee Barak Albayaty said: "Nasser Muthana was just like any other guy. I was shocked to see him in the video. But I am sure coming here is not the source of radicalism. We're against going to Syria for the armed struggle and have spelt this out on many occasions. The boys are affected by the internet. It's not just Cardiff, it's all over the UK.""
Friday, June 20, 2014
#AllEyesOnIsis
ISIS receive notes of support from EVERY continent after Twitter charm offensive | Mail Online "Using the hash tag #AllEyesOnIsis, extremist fighters flooded the social media site with propaganda, luring vulnerable people to join them in Iraq.
"And within minutes, their stunt - which Twitter is powerless to block or moderate - was met with chilling messages of support from countries all over the globe - from Rome to Australia, Switzerland to America, Kenya to Nepal."
ISIS vs Kuwait’s Tabtabaie: a tale of two tweets
ISIS vs Kuwait’s Tabtabaie: a tale of two tweets - Al Arabiya News
"A single tweet can get you in a lot of trouble as trolls and haters might react aggressively to your views on social media."
"A single tweet can get you in a lot of trouble as trolls and haters might react aggressively to your views on social media."
'British Jihadist' Video Calls For Iraq Recruits
Sky News, 'British Jihadist' Video Calls For Iraq Recruits: "A video purporting to show British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join them in Iraq has been released on social media."
How ISIS is spreading its message online
BBC News - How ISIS is spreading its message online "Alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant's (ISIS) battlefield successes in northern Iraq, the group has deployed a sophisticated social media strategy that is redefining its propaganda."
Thursday, June 19, 2014
New and noted - PhD dissertation
New and noted: Rebecca S. Robinson, 'Individuals, Collectives, Sisters: Vernacular Cosmopolitan Praxis Among Muslim Women in Transnational Cyberspaces' - this is a PhD dissertation from Arizona State University. It looks interesting, but I haven't read it yet. This links to the pdf of the dissertation.
Twitter account associated with Iran leader warns of ‘war in Muslim world’
alarabiya.net, Twitter account associated with Iran leader warns of ‘war in Muslim world’ "A Twitter account Iran experts believe is run by the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in comments apparently inspired by Iraq's turmoil, accused militants on Thursday of wanting to bring about a war in the Muslim world."
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