Convergence of Terrorism and Technology
Smartphones and internet are the most indispensable requirement of every individual in the present world. It has enabled high degree of connectivity worldwide. However, this apparent boon is a double edged sword. Not only is it used for genuine constructive purposes but the same technology is used by terrorist organizations to spread their propaganda . While Islamist terror groups have been using social media since long to spread their slanderous ideology, these tools are now being used by groups such as Lashkar-e- taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to spread anti-India propaganda.
Technology’s role in Jammu and Kashmir.
The dicey political and security situations in Jammu and Kashmir could not attract major investments from technology companies. However, with the increased competition and the entry of Chinese smartphone manufactures, telecommunication industry have been providing data and phone calls at dirt cheap rates. Kashmir dose not remain untouched by this changed scenario . Not only more and more people are connected online, but are also having greater access to social media through which they come in contact with various anti-national propaganda, terrorist literature and inflammatory content online. This boon for the mankind is being used by anti-national elements to create and promote a sit of unrest and fear in the valley.
Internet shutdowns as counter terrorist strategy.
Whatsapp group having members more than hundreds are used for instant mobilization and for spreading propaganda. Earlier it was used as a means to gather local youth for stone pelting on the SF. Internet shutdowns have become commonplace to curb this menace as a counter terrorist strategy. However, the people at the utmost disadvantage due to these shutdowns are the civil society especially students, state, the tourism and other industries. The internet shutdowns offers only a temporary solution to the counter terrorist strategy. The administration and the mainstream population have not been able to come to an agreed upon solution to the method to be employed to deal with situation.
Burhan Wani and the change in the dynamics of the online world.
The use of social media to propagate militancy in Kashmir remained limited till 2016. But this equation changed when the 22 year old militant commander Burhan Wani of Hizbul Mujahedeen posted photographs of him and fellow militants on facebook which were then further distributed on other social media platforms by the anti-national groups. These images portrayed these militants as young defiant men, championing terrorism heavily armed with guns to the local youth in camouflaged outfits in the jungles of Kashmir valley and it grabbed international attention. It was unprecedented that these law breakers and proponents of anarchy would reveal their faces and name, but would also post them on facebook.
Tied Hands of the Government.
When seen from government’s perspective, it is left with very few workable solutions to prevent the spread of misinformation, inflammatory literature and distorted version of reality which organizations such as Let and JeM spread through Whastapp groups in their anti –India propaganda. These Whastapp groups are tried and tested tools of spreading their misinformation instantly, far and wide. The hands of security officials remains tied and their response capability remains limited because of Whatsapp’s encryption policy. Also many of the numbers of these groups are not India based which means these cannot traced without violating the privacy norms. Whatsapp currently has over 200 million users in India posing national security threat as it has been misused for triggering massive protests by sparking rumours leading to a stone pelting, series of killings and the loss of government property made out of the taxpayers money. If there is an internet shutdown the people at the loss are:-
(a) students who are chasing their dreams and thinking of changing the future of Kashmir through education
(b) the tourism industry receives a setback due to lack of or no tourists
(c) the businessmen whose consignments gets halted within the state and with the rest of the country
Counter narrative on social media to tackle terrorism.
If the terrorist group are using social media to spread their idea, the government should also not be lagging behind to use the same platform to create content that counters terrorist’s narratives and this has started as well. Greater collaboration between social media platform and civil society organizations to effectively spread counter narratives to sensitive regions would do wonders. A digital team of the government can be created based on Kashmir that takes into consideration the suggestions and experiences of the security providers who are working on ground tackling the threat in a constitutional manner. Local micro research units of social media platforms to understand the nuances of the region and act accordingly would give an assurance to people of the region about the ultimate goal of the government to spread peace and development in the region.
