The Use of Media by ISIS in the Paris attack – 2015

The world we are living in today, is connected by the usage of the internet and social networks.

Indeed, with all the helpfulness they bring, reaching people and any community on the globe is

just a few simple buttons presses away. But, as a fact, everything has a dark, horrible side. One

significant example, is the way terrorist groups take advantage of the open access and widely

spread ability traits to their own plan of causing crisis. For this matter, we will look at the usage

of online media used by ISIS in their notorious attack.

Paris, November 13th 2015. The horror struck the heart of France with suicidal bombing and

massive gunfire. The casualties was terrifying and the number kept rising, and the media went

wild, as the incident became the hot topic during the end of the year.

‘French authorities today announced that all of the 129 people killed in Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris have been
identified… At least 350 people were injured in the attacks, with many in a serious condition - so the death toll
could still rise if some of the wounded do not recover.’ ( Bolton,D - 2015, para 1 ) [1]

But, the reason why it became viral not only lies in the brutality, but also in how ISIS managed

to make use of the internet and social media, which raised the awareness of not only the

authorities but also the services provider. The real question is, how the Internet and social

media acted as the key to the attack, and also used once again by the ISIS to claim responsibility

for the tragic aftermath of the event ?

As Moreau ( 2018, para 1) [2] indicated that ‘Social networking has changed the way we

communicate, do business, get our daily news fix and so much more.’, we can find that is the

truth that we all recognize. Internet and social media has become way too simple yet extremely
effective and popularly known. So, for it is usable by anybody, there aren’t any reason for the IS

not to tap into this. Turning media into a propaganda machine, the terrorists could easily

recruit, spread idealism and make plans to be executed.

Specifically, before the Paris incident, reports of Torok, R (2015) [3] and has shown that the IS

has made their way into the people using social media and communication applications, such as

the messaging app Telegram, or the Play Station 4 network to secretly recruit without being

detected. Some other examples are on Twitter, as Islamic user promoted the attack right before

the actual event occurred :

‘While the average person was getting on with life in Paris before last Friday’s terror bombings and
shootings, Twitter threads in Arabic from the Middle East were urging for attacks to be launched upon coalition
forces in their home countries.

“Advance, advance – forward, forward” they said, regarding Paris.’ ( Torok, R - 2015, para 1) [4]

To the facts given, I say that IS has optimized the online network connections, especially the

encryption contents to do not only their speeches and teachings, but to use cyber environment

as a propaganda machine.

For that, we have the reason for taking advantage of the Internet and social media for

preparations, and claim credits with the same methods. They delivered terror and have the

authorities having their attention over the dangerous usage of the Internet and social media.

Yet, this warning was already said long before the incident took place :

“Terror groups take to social media because social media tools are cheap and accessible, facilitate quick, broad
dissemination of messages, and allow for unfettered communication with an audience without the filter or
"selectivity" of mainstream news outlets.” ( Dark, C - 2011 ) [5]
ISIS took their credit on a grand statement, which also went on the front pages of every media

at the time, as they have proclaimed themselves as ‘martyrs’ and warned about future attacks (

Fisher, M – 2015) [6] . The impact of the attack was a global phenomenon, finally putting the

governments on their higher guard of the online environment, for this the lesson learnt from

the toll of people’s lives have reminded them again never to take cyber terrorism lightly.

Finally, we look into the foundation of the entire framework of the scheme, and found that the

word ‘propaganda’ lies ahead. After all, the cyber network applications were all to serve this

one purpose, to make the incident happen. To say what ISIS propaganda is like, ‘The instruction

manual frames their role in the terms of battle, calling propagandists “unknown soldiers”

whose roles must not be “belittled or underestimated”.’ ( Dearden, L – 2017 ) [7]

All the progress ISIS made its way into Paris, was based on how they spread them throughout the

people. The terrorists’ work is recognized as ‘Its highly organized social media campaign uses

deceptive tactics and shows a sophisticated understanding of how such networks operate’ (

J.M.Berger – 2015 ) [8]. The multimedia served as a handy tool indeed, as the campaign was

successfully delivered through online training, scheming and executing. Many people were taken

under their effects, as a result. The support is shown in the study based on Twitter, telling that

ISIS supporters have taken lead on their opponents – the condemners, making 50 percent more

tweets per day. ( Bodine - Baron et al. 2016 ) [9]

The aftermath after November 13th 2015 started a crisis on doubt and fear of the entire cyber

environment that plays a vital role in their daily lives. The Internet and social media can be a

double-edged blade, as when it’s in the hands of terrorists. To prevent incidents that can be
caused by the usage of the Internet and social media, network and cyber security has been

significantly increased, as well as the reinforcement over the control of information and

communication in the whole world. And to see to that fact, it’s France whom did their

statement: ‘Enhancing strategic stability and international security in cyber space is one of

France’s key objectives.’ ( France Diplomatie – Cyber security ) [10]

The age of digitalization has given terrorist a lot of methods to access and globalize their

activities, causing havoc at a rapid rate. Although everyone has worked hard to prevent and

fight against the usage of media by terrorism, yet is it certain that an incident like Paris won’t

happen again ? We are still struggling, trying to stop the intrusion of terrorist groups, but, will

we be able to prevent another tragedy in the future for the sake of the world peace ?
References

1. Bolton, D 2015 ‘Paris attack victims: All 129 people killed in terrorist attacks
identified by French government’ ,The Independent,
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-attack-victims-list-
french-government-identifies-all-129-people-killed-in-paris-terrorist-a6739116.html
2. Moreau, E 2018 ‘The Pros and Cons of Social Networking. A look at the ups and
downs of being so digitally connected to people’, Lifewire,
<https://www.lifewire.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-social-networking-
3486020>
3. Torok, R 2015 ‘How social media was key to Islamic State’s attacks on Paris’, The
Conversation’, < https://theconversation.com/how-social-media-was-key-to-islamic-
states-attacks-on-paris-50743>
4. Torok, R 2015 ‘How social media was key to Islamic State’s attacks on Paris’, The
Conversation’, < https://theconversation.com/how-social-media-was-key-to-islamic-
states-attacks-on-paris-50743>
5. Dark, C 2011 ‘Social Media and Social Menacing…’, Foreign Policy Association’, <
http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2011/12/20/social-media-and-social-menacing/>
6. Fisher, M 2015 ‘Here is ISIS's statement claiming responsibility for the Paris attacks’,
Vox, https://www.vox.com/2015/11/14/9734794/isis-claim-paris-statement
7. Dearden, L 2017 ‘Isis claims propaganda 'more powerful than atomic bomb' as group
forms strategy for survival’, The Independent, <
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-propaganda-atomic-
bomb-survival-strategy-iraq-syria-islamic-state-icsr-report-amaq-rumiyah-al-
a7579511.html>
8. J.M.Berger 2015 ‘The Evolution of Terrorist Propaganda: The Paris Attack and Social
Media’, Brookings, https://www.brookings.edu/testimonies/the-evolution-of-
terrorist-propaganda-the-paris-attack-and-social-media/
9. Elizabeth Bodine-Baron , Todd C. Helmus , Madeline Magnuson & Zev Winkelman
2016,
Examining ISIS Support and Opposition Networks on Twitter, The Rand, Santa
Monica, California.
10. Cyber Security, France Diplomatie 04/10/2017,
<https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/defence-security/cyber-
security/>