Extremist propaganda in social media : a threat to homeland security

235 Pages·2019·6.463 MB·English

by  Erbschloe, Michael

Extremist Propaganda
in S ocial Media

Extremist Propaganda
in Social Media

A Threat to Homeland Security
Michael Erbschloe
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2019 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
No claim to original U.S. Government works
Printed on acid-free paper
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-138-49367-4 (Hardback)
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts
have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume
responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers
have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to
copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has
not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmit-
ted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright.
com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood
Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and
registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC,
a separate system of payment has been arranged.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Erbschloe, Michael, 1951- author.
Title: Extremist propaganda in social media : a threat to homeland security /
Michael Erbschloe.
Description: Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, 2018. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018005234 | ISBN 9781138493674 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781351027380 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Social media--Political aspects--United States. |
Polarization (Social sciences)--United States. | Internet and
terrorism--United States. | Radicalism--United States. | Extremist Web
sites.
Classification: LCC HM742 .E73 2018 | DDC 302.23/1--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018005234
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at
http://www.crcpress.com
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
Contents
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2019 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
No claim to original U.S. Government works
Printed on acid-free paper
List of Tables ......................................................................................................ix
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-138-49367-4 (Hardback) Preface ................................................................................................................xi
Acknowledgments ............................................................................................xiii
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts
have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume Author ................................................................................................................xv
responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers
Introduction ....................................................................................................xvii
have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to
copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has
not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. 1 A Framework to Analyze the Impact of Social Media Propaganda
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmit- on Intolerance, Extremism, and Radicalization in Society ....................1
ted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
1.1 Propaganda Comes in Many Forms ...................................................1
including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without written permission from the publishers. 1.2 Practical Methods for Identifying Propaganda ..................................5
1.3 Understanding Extremists and Extremism ........................................7
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright.
1.4 Radicalization and Propaganda .......................................................10
com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood
Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and 1.5 Social Media and Propaganda Consumption ...................................12
registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC,
1.6 The Relationship between Television and Violence ..........................14
a separate system of payment has been arranged.
1.7 Countering Propaganda in Social Media .........................................18
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used 1.8 Summary .........................................................................................19
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
1.9 Course Activities .............................................................................20
References ..................................................................................................21
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Erbschloe, Michael, 1951- author. 2 Social Media Propaganda and the Political Electoral Process .............23
Title: Extremist propaganda in social media : a threat to homeland security /
2.1 Russian Propaganda Activities in the 2016 U.S. Elections ...............23
Michael Erbschloe.
Description: Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, 2018. | Includes bibliographical 2.2 Google Testifies before U.S. Congress .............................................27
references and index. 2.3 Facebook Testifies before U.S. Congress ..........................................29
Identifiers: LCCN 2018005234 | ISBN 9781138493674 (hardback : alk. paper) |
2.4 Twitter Testifies before U.S. Congress ............................................34
ISBN 9781351027380 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Social media--Political aspects--United States. | 2.5 The Honest Ads Act .........................................................................41
Polarization (Social sciences)--United States. | Internet and
2.6 Summary .........................................................................................45
terrorism--United States. | Radicalism--United States. | Extremist Web
sites. 2.7 Course Activities ............................................................................46
Classification: LCC HM742 .E73 2018 | DDC 302.23/1--dc23 References ..................................................................................................47
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018005234
3 Government Institutional Response to Social Media Propaganda,
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at Extremism, and Radicalization ............................................................49
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
3.1 Mobilizing to Combat Violent Extremism ......................................49
and the CRC Press Web site at 3.2 Research and Analysis to Countering Violent Extremism ................52
http://www.crcpress.com
v
vi ◾ Contents
3.3 Department of Homeland Security Grant Opportunities ................56
3.4 Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council .............................58
3.5 The U.S. Department of Justice Fighting Terrorism for Decades .....61
3.6 General Accountability Office Evaluation of U.S. Government
Countering Violent Extremism Efforts ...........................................64
3.7 Summary .........................................................................................67
3.8 Course Activities .............................................................................68
References ..................................................................................................68
4 Military Response to Social Media Propaganda-Driven
Extremism and Radicalization .............................................................71
4.1 Addressing the Threat of Insider Radicalization ..............................71
4.2 Military Anti-Terrorism Activities beyond the Insider Threat ..........75
4.3 Military Efforts to Counter Extremist Propaganda ..........................76
4.4 Summary .........................................................................................78
4.5 Course Activities .............................................................................79
References ..................................................................................................79
5 The Impact of Social Media Extremist Propaganda on Law
Enforcement .........................................................................................81
5.1 Training for Collecting and Examining Extremist Propaganda .......81
5.2 Monitoring Social Media Propaganda for Law Enforcement ...........85
5.3 Joint Terrorism Task Forces .............................................................87
5.4 Law Enforcement and Justice System Personnel
Can Be Extremists ........................................................................88
5.5 Anti-Cop versus Pro-Cop Propaganda in Social Media ...................92
5.6 Summary .........................................................................................94
5.7 Course Activities .............................................................................95
References ..................................................................................................96
6 The Corporate Extremist Propaganda Machine ...................................99
6.1 The Corporate Extremist Propaganda Culture ................................99
6.2 The Case of Big Tobacco ...............................................................101
6.3 Corporations Are Seen as Terrorist Organizations .........................107
6.4 Corporate Propaganda in the Classroom .......................................109
6.5 Summary .......................................................................................111
6.6 Course Activities ...........................................................................112
References ................................................................................................112
7 Extremist Propaganda and Recruitment Targeting Youth .................115
7.1 Students as Recruitment Targets ....................................................115
7.2 Hate and Violence Are Parts of Life for Youth in the U.S. .............118
7.3 Don’t Be a Puppet: Pull Back the Curtain on
Violent Extremism Website ...........................................................121
Contents ◾ vii
7.4 Gangs as Extremist Groups ..........................................................126
7.5 Summary .....................................................................................130
7.6 Course Activities ..........................................................................130
References ................................................................................................131
8 Electronic Aggression or Free Speech .................................................133
8.1 The Rise of Electronic Aggression ................................................133
8.2 Electronic Aggression Models ......................................................135
8.3 Electronic Aggression at the Tribal Level .....................................136
8.4 The Electronic Aggression of White Nationalism .........................137
8.5 Extremist Religious Propaganda in the U.S. ................................139
8.6 Extremist Propaganda through Censorship ..................................140
8.7 Summary .....................................................................................141
8.8 Course Activities ..........................................................................142
References ................................................................................................142
9 Countering Extremist Anti-Science Propaganda ...............................145
9.1 The Anti-Science Movement Gained Momentum over
Many Years ..........................................................................145
9.2 Educational Attainment in the U.S. .............................................146
9.3 Countering Extremist Anti-Vaccine Social Media Propaganda ....149
9.4 Extremist Anti-Climate Change Science Propaganda ..................150
9.5 Anti-Fetal Tissue Research Extremist Propaganda .......................153
9.6 Ethics and Codes of Conduct Violations in the
U.S. Government .....................................................................155
9.7 Survey of Public Attitudes toward and Understanding
of Science and Technology ...........................................................160
9.8 Summary .....................................................................................162
9.9 Course Activities ..........................................................................163
References ................................................................................................163
10 Observations on the Distribution of Extremist Propaganda ..............167
10.1 The Whirlpool of Extremist Propaganda ......................................167
10.2 Extremist Propaganda Gets Funneled ..........................................169
10.3 The Power of Rallies and Mass Events ..........................................170
10.4 Homeschooling Can Funnel Extremist Propaganda ....................173
10.5 Charter and Private Schools and the Perpetuation
of Propaganda ..........................................................................174
10.6 Extremist Propaganda in Closed Societies ....................................177
10.7 Mental Health Conditions and Extremist Propaganda ................179
10.8 Summary .....................................................................................182
10.9 Course Activities ..........................................................................183
References ................................................................................................183
viii ◾ Contents
11 Ten Reasons Why Propaganda Works ................................................185
11.1 The Ten Reasons Propaganda Works So Well ..............................185
11.2 Blissfulness and Consistency ........................................................187
11.3 Lack of Knowledge, Confusion, and Laziness ..............................188
11.4 Repetition, Familiarity, and Acceptance ......................................189
11.5 Groups, Peers, and Belonging ......................................................191
11.6 The Reason This Is Important ......................................................193
11.7 Summary .....................................................................................194
11.8 Course Activities ..........................................................................195
References ................................................................................................195
Glossary of Key Terms ................................................................................197
Index ...........................................................................................................203
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Offensive Propaganda Goals in Social Media .....................................3
Table 1.2 Defensive Propaganda Goals in Social Media ....................................3
Table 1.3 Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions 2016 ......................13
Table 2.1 Text of Facebook Ads Submitted to U.S. House of
Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
in November 2017 ...........................................................................32
Table 3.1 CVE Grant Focus Areas ..................................................................57
Table 3.2 HSAAC Subcommittees ..................................................................59
Table 4.1 Indicators of a Potential Insider Threat ............................................73
Table 4.2 Steps to Deter, Detect, and Mitigate Insider Threats .......................74
Table 4.3 Typical Phases of the Development of Prevention Programs ............78
Table 5.1 NIST Publications on Electronic Forensics ......................................83
Table 5.2 Social Media Monitoring Tools .......................................................87
Table 5.3 Sample Anti-Cop Pro-Cop Social Media Posts ................................94
Table 6.1 Master Settlement Agreement Requirements .................................104
Table 6.2 Sample Corporate Terrorism Social Media Posts ...........................109
Table 8.1 Examples of Electronic Aggression.................................................134
Table 9.1 Scopes Monkey Trial Information .................................................146
Table 9.2 Educational Attainment in the U.S................................................147
Table 9.3 Note on EPA Climate Change Page ...............................................153
Table 10.1 Creators of Extremist Propaganda ................................................168
Table 10.2 The Extremist Propaganda Sorting Process ..................................169
ix