Digital Terrorism: Communication through Online Video Games

Sáfrán, József (2022) Digital Terrorism: Communication through Online Video Games. HADTUDOMÁNYI SZEMLE, 15 (3). pp. 183-195. ISSN 2676-9816 (nyomtatott); 2060-0437 (online)

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Abstract

We interact nowadays through the internet in many different ways, we are socially connected to this network. Of course, this has its dangers, as many individuals or groups operating illegally also have access to these opportunities and use them to support their own activities. Online gaming is based on the hobby of many people including terrorists: to connect and play together online. In the world of online video games, there have been several cases of terrorists or organised criminal group members usingdata game software to achieve their own ends. Therefore, defence organisations have been monitoring this unconventional world for more than a decade. It is worth examining exactly how terrorist organisations can exploit this form of entertainment. The information society has brought with it a proliferation of video games, which has led to a significant acceleration in communication.This study examines how different terrorist organisations or organised criminal groups use online video games to communicate. We will examine how they can exchangeinformation, organise different activities, disseminate their propaganda and recruit. This article focuses on video games that can be played online and are mainly publiclyavailable, as these are the programs that can be quickly accessed by the web and many other players. We are not dealing with games with single player only mode, as it would require a completely different way of analysis, and in online video games the communication factor is one of the primary factors in their use.

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