Online propaganda aimed at recruiting jihadists Facebook has introduced a free advertising program, offering users up to $1,000 to promote anti-terrorism campaigns. has seen a dramatic increase in recent years on popular social networking sites. To combat this phenomenon,
Several organizations have realized the power of social media, leveraging it to achieve their dark goals. ISIS is a prime example, being the only terrorist organization that harnesses the immense power of Twitter and Facebook to convert young minds, spread its message, and attract supporters to its struggles.
[alert variation=”alert-success”]Many ISIS members maintain highly active accounts on popular social media platforms, while they also have a strong presence on the encrypted messaging service Telegram, with more than 100,000 followers in total.[/alert]
The issue is extremely worrying and has a profound impact on society. A recent example is last year's attack in Paris, in which ISIS used popular messaging apps to plan and organize the attack.
And while propagandists tend to utilize social media to achieve their goals, in contrast, coordinated online efforts are being made to thwart their actions and combat the hateful messages they promote.
Facebook is participating in this fight against terrorism
The social media giant is naturally supporting this fight, having come up with a solution to minimize the influence of Islamist proselytizers and expel them from the social networking platform.
Similar efforts have already been made by the Anonymous group, with campaigns such as #OpISIS and #OpParis, as well as other campaigns to ostracize ISIS from Twitter and the Telegraph.
Recently, Facebook took another step in this direction, introducing a new program called “Counter-Speech,” which offers advertising credits of up to $1000 for those who raise their voices against hate speech and terror propaganda.
This new smart strategy aims to enlighten those who have been influenced by propaganda, especially the young, putting an end to the brainwashing practiced by the caliphate.
So, instead of removing or blocking extremist Facebook pages that spread hatred among their followers, Facebook is focusing on educating and raising awareness among more and more users, funding anti-terrorism advertising campaigns in an effort to combat it.
The first user to benefit from Facebook's special program is a German comedian who last year released a video showing that eating halal meat is poisonous for Christians.
