influence of the Islamic state's weaponization of social media on radicalization in the United States : a qualitative content analysis of case file and semi-structured interview data

This study utilizes semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis to explore how the Islamic State’s weaponization of social media influences radicalization in the United States. Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, over 415 individuals have been charged with jihadist terrorism-related activity in the United States. A significant number of these individuals were radicalized within the past five years as a result of the Islamic State’s declaration of their Caliphate and their aggressive online recruitment and incitement campaign. The unprecedented efficacy of the Islamic State’s conversion of social media platforms into versatile weapons to build and reinforce support for their ideological objectives resulted in terrorist attacks in the United States by individuals who never set foot in the Caliphate. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of the Islamic State’s weaponization of social media on radicalization in the United States. The findings of this research indicate that the Islamic State’s weaponization of social media influences radicalization in the United States by propagating various forms of strategic, dynamic, and highly engaging propaganda on numerous social media platforms; by inspiring and enabling, but not necessarily directing the radicalization of individuals active in the self-sustaining, virtual communities of Islamic State members, supporters, sympathizers, and aspirants on social media; and by providing individuals with observed grievances the remedies for those grievances, often through radicalization, affiliation with the Islamic State, and mobilization to support or conduct attacks through social media. This research is significant to practitioners in the fields of counterterrorism, radicalization, and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), as it provides actionable findings and conclusions regarding how the Islamic State’s weaponization of social media influences radicalization in the United States.