Fergie's Tech Blog

Analysis: Terrorist Use of The Internet

Shaun Waterman writes for UPI:

Lawmakers in the United States and elsewhere should not to try to censor Islamic extremists' use of the Internet, says a new report from a global think tank.

"There is no censorship option," Greg Austin, vice president of the East West Institute, told United Press International. "Trying to suppress anything (on the Internet) except direct operational use by terrorists is a mistake."

Austin said a careful distinction had to be drawn between extremist sites "advocating violent ideologies or asserting the right to use violence in general" and terrorist sites that "call for or support specific terrorist attacks."

The report urges that, rather than try to close extremists sites, the private sector and religious and community groups should step up, countering extremists' propaganda strategy with messages that promote peaceful dialogue and emphasize the human cost of extremist violence.

posted by Fergie @ 2/18/2008 11:55:00 PM