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Twitter is the latest in Web 2.0 social networking applications that allows users to send messages to a maximum of 140 characters (or Tweets) across the web at lightening fast speed.
In fact, Twitter users were able to report the L.A. earthquakes from last July faster that official news outlets could.
So why is the U.S. Army saying that terrorists are using Twitter to expand on their dastardly deeds?
“Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences,” the report said.
Hacktivists refers to politically motivated computer hackers.
“Twitter is already used by some members to post and/or support extremist ideologies and perspectives,” the report said.
“Extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already evolving in use by hacktivists and activists for surveillance,” it said. “This could theoretically be combined with targeting.”
The report outlined scenarios in which militants could make use of Twitter, combined with such programs as Google Maps or cell phone pictures or video, to carry out an ambush or detonate explosives.
“Terrorists could theoretically use Twitter social networking in the US as an operation tool,” it said. “However, it is unclear whether that same theoretical tool would be available to terrorists in other countries and to what extent.”
I’m doubtful that terrorists would use Twitter, which is essentially a PUBLIC forumn, to post messages to each other about secret terrorist plots. There’s gotta be a more private way to communicate like standard text messaging.
Regardless, the government’s keeping an eye on your Tweets. Be forewarned.
Speaking of Twitter users, follow me! I promise I’m not a terrorist:
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