Monitoring Terrorism
One main way the Internet is being used in counter-terrorism is each country’s monitoring of the thousands of websites accessed by its people. Across the world, governments and Internet service providers screen and censor sensitive information. Websites, forums, and blogs are monitored for any terrorist activity. Different countries have put in place different schemes to monitor Internet content. Strategies include banning or blacklisting websites, and shutting down entire networks.
Reproduced from: crimethinc.com
The UK has recently implemented its new Prevent strategy, an integral part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy. The strategy includes collecting data and filtering traffic on the Internet, and aims to challenge extremist ideas and terrorist activities. In Singapore, websites are tracked for content which may pose “a potential threat to national security”. In the Arab world, Internet surveillance has been emphasized. Owners of Internet cafés in Kuwait have to keep records of names and IDs of customers, and submit this information to the Ministry of Communications upon request. In Jordan’s Internet cafes, surveillance cameras have been installed to monitor users, and café owners have to report to authorities the websites accessed, the café’s Internet protocol (IP) number, as well as customer personal data.
Even if the IP address of someone accessing a terrorist website is obtained, it is not easy to track down the individual, especially when there are multiple users using that particular IP address (such as in Internet cafes). Hence, new technologies are required to make it is easier to detect and identify the users accessing sites with terrorism propaganda.
Even if the IP address of someone accessing a terrorist website is obtained, it is not easy to track down the individual, especially when there are multiple users using that particular IP address (such as in Internet cafes). Hence, new technologies are required to make it is easier to detect and identify the users accessing sites with terrorism propaganda.
On a broader note, such measures have been criticized as being ineffective due to the tremendous amount of information to screen. Not only is it costly, it is impractical to have to go through the millions of conversations taking place over the Internet. While shutting down terrorist websites seems to be a solution, and is a course of action that many states have adopted, it is ineffective in the long-run. It is not long before the site turns up again under a different name and a different server.
Nevertheless, the answer is not to give up monitoring websites altogether, but to employ technology more effectively and refine the counterterrorism strategy.
Firstly, the Advanced Terrorist Detection System (ATDS) aims to track down Internet access of content out of the norm, including terrorist sites, by analysing the information accessed by web users. It operates in two modes: training mode and detection mode. In training mode, the ATDS analyses and determines the interests of a predetermined group of web users by processing the web sites they access over a period of time. In detection mode, the ATDS conducts real-time monitoring of the web traffic generated by this group, analyses the accessed content, and raises the alarm if the content is not within their determined interests and relates to terrorism. So rather than monitor terrorists who are already known, potential terrorists are identified by their online behaviour via ATDS. Its strength lies in enabling the authorities to pick out and closely monitor dangerous individuals who would otherwise fall outside their radar.
Nevertheless, the answer is not to give up monitoring websites altogether, but to employ technology more effectively and refine the counterterrorism strategy.
Firstly, the Advanced Terrorist Detection System (ATDS) aims to track down Internet access of content out of the norm, including terrorist sites, by analysing the information accessed by web users. It operates in two modes: training mode and detection mode. In training mode, the ATDS analyses and determines the interests of a predetermined group of web users by processing the web sites they access over a period of time. In detection mode, the ATDS conducts real-time monitoring of the web traffic generated by this group, analyses the accessed content, and raises the alarm if the content is not within their determined interests and relates to terrorism. So rather than monitor terrorists who are already known, potential terrorists are identified by their online behaviour via ATDS. Its strength lies in enabling the authorities to pick out and closely monitor dangerous individuals who would otherwise fall outside their radar.
Secondly, since it is difficult for countries to independently monitor websites, international cooperation is the way forward. In 2007, a programme called “Check the Web” was started by Europol, the EU police agency. It consists of an online portal which allows EU member nations to post information such as links to websites that they are currently monitoring and the contact information of experts. This prevents duplication of effort and makes for more effective monitoring.