Twitter an Emerging Terrorist Tool

[anon]

The appeal of Twitter, the free social networking and micro-blogging service, is that it lets people stay in touch with their friends in pretty much real time.

That fun tool can also be put to nefarious uses, according to an addendum to the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion periodic newsletter, available on the Federation of American Scientists' (FAS) Web site.

The paper tracked some of the latest tactics terrorist groups use to organize and described some techniques that are emerging.

"The [Twitter] member can send Tweets (messages) near real time to Twitter cell phone groups and to their online Twitter social networking page," the author said, adding that "there are multiple pro- and anti-Hezbollah Tweets."

Twitter members "can also mashup their Tweets with a variety of other tools including geo-coordinates and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) Maps or other electronic files/artifacts. Members can direct and re-direct audience members to other Web sites and locations from 'Tweets' and can engage in rapid-fire group social interaction," the writer said.

The author outlined three scenarios where Twitter could be used by terrorists, and pointed out that terrorists have also talked about using other technologies, including cell phones, and Skype and other internet telephony services.

InternetNews Realtime IT News - Twitter an Emerging Terrorist Tool

[SealLion]

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that terrerist groups and organizations are also useing facebook. Seriously. I wouldn't be surprised in hearing that some Mullah from Iran or from elsewhere in the mid-east and who is an extremest in Islam, has got social networking on terror down to a science. He'd probably have over 1000 'friends'. You know what I mean.??