THE LONE WOLF, THE YOUNG LION, AND THE IMPRESSIONABLE AMERICAN: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON HOMEGROWN ISLAMIC EXTREMISM

Abstract

This thesis explores the impact of social media platforms on jihadist extremist
 recruitment of United States citizens thus contributing to homegrown terrorism. By virtue of
 analyzing a split timeline of individual case studies, this thesis seeks to demonstrate that the
 existence of the “like” button on social platforms plays a key aspect in the redefinition of jihadist
 recruitment of American citizens. In other words, with the presence of the “like” button and the
 subsequent ability for users to validate content, radical groups have been able to evolve and
 manipulate their recruitment approach in an accelerated fashion (as displayed by the selected
 case studies). These case studies are split in a format that includes three cases of successful
 homegrown recruitment before the social media boom of 2008 and three cases after. By virtue of
 a variety of interviews with members of the US military, Middle Eastern theologians, as well as
 social media security experts within the United States, the results of the thesis process seeks to
 address major recruitment strategy changes by terror groups in accommodation to social media
 consumers. Ranging from the Virginia Jihad Network (“Paintball Gang”) to the recent events in
 Massachusetts involving Usaamah Rahim and David Wright, this document finds that all case
 studies had some form of socio-economic challenges and adopted radical Islam not for sudden
 religious inclination, but rather to offer themselves a sense of purpose and/or achievement. The “like” button on social media platforms has allowed for a change in recruitment tactics that
 evolved from the various patterns of traditional Al Qaeda mass propaganda distribution (via
 email, encrypted messages, etc.) to what is witnessed in the modern day with the Islamic State.
 While attempting to naturalize the extreme violence via electronic distribution (ex: online videostreaming
 platforms), the Islamic State has effectively developed a recruitment process that
 involves the journey of the “young lion”, a self-created anecdote for the youthful, “brave”,
 followers that attempt to join its cause. With constant reaffirmation and connection, the “like”
 button provides the recruit with instant validation pertaining to their conversion and
 radicalization.