Digital Commons Network^™

Virtual Radicalisation: Challenges For Police, Simon O'Rourke

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Recent advances in communications technology are providing a medium for individuals or groups to subscribe to extremist worldviews and form networks, access training and obtain information, whilst remaining virtually undetected in the online world. Whilst the Internet is facilitating global virtual communities like Second Life, MySpace and Facebook it is also providing an anonymous meeting place for disenfranchised individuals to gather, share ideas, post and exchange information regarding their particular ideology. This virtual community provides a sense of belonging to a global cause in which the actions of an individual can be aligned to, and seen to contribute towards something …