Social Media as a Tool for Non-State Actors:

The Internet and social media provide both a tool and platform for people, institutions, and governments to connect and collaborate. However, such ability to bring together is also being harnessed by unscrupulous non-state actors in pursuing their propaganda, giving them an advantage of operating from a remote location, even outside territorial jurisdiction. The use of the internet and social media by non-state actors for subversive activities has emerged as a major security concern. It has implications for all, including individuals, the corporate sector, governments etc.

Vulnerabilities of The Internet are Reflected as:

• Use of Internet by ISIL: ISIL has been using the internet to spread its propaganda using platforms such as Twitter, YouTube etc. ISIL has successfully attracted youth from various countries for their recruitment purpose. For example, several youth from India travelled to Syria to be recruited in the militia.

• Radicalisation of youth: Propaganda to recruit into terror groups like AQIS, LeT, terrorist groups etc., in J&K, has been intercepted by intelligence agencies. These social media sites are created on a fake names and tracing them has become a tedious task.

• Financial security breach: Recently, details of 32 lakhs Debit cards were compromised by the use of sophisticated hacks. Many organised crime groups and sympathisers of terrorist organisations are involved in stealing individual financial information.

• Bot army attack: An army of 100,000 bots was used to make a hostile attack termed “Denial of Service” on servers of Dyn, a European organisation. These types of attacks are carried out by hostile neighbours or even terrorist organisations.

• Fake news over sensitive issues: Agitations by patidars in Gujarat, Jats in Haryana had seen widespread use of the internet, often playing rumours and fake news to arouse popular sentiments. Such events only compel the administration to affect Internet shutdown temporarily.

• Hacking of private accounts: Unethical hackers have in the past hacked private social media accounts of famous personalities as well as common people to harass them. Even they have been used to spread misinformation and hate triggering chaos.

An encouraging milestone in the battle against this issue is India’s willingness to back a French-led initiative to adopt a statement to combat radicalization and terrorism online, particularly on social media. The solution is in greater collaboration between the several stakeholders that have influence over this issue, including governments, the civil society, and online service providers like social media companies