Reviewing the Role of the Internet in Radicalization Processes

This review presents the existing research on the role of the Internet in radicalization processes. Using a systematic literature search strategy, our paper yields 88 studies on the role of the Internet in a) right-wing extremism and b) radical jihadism. Available studies display a predominant interest in the characteristics of radical websites and a remarkable absence of a user-centred perspective. They show that extremist groups make use of the Internet to spread right wing or jihadist ideologies, connect like-minded others in echo chambers and cloaked websites, and address particularly marginalized individuals of a society, with specific strategies for recruitment. Existing studies have thus far not sufficiently examined the users of available sites, nor have they studied the causal mechanisms that unfold at the intersection between the Internet and its users. The present review suggests avenues for future research, drawing on media and violence research and research on social identity and deindividuation effects in computer-mediated communication

Effects of vlogger race on perceived credibility, self-efficacy and behavioral intentions towards weight loss

Abstract Spokesperson race and expertise have exhibited an impact on audiences. This study examines the effect of race congruency between vlogger and audience in regards to weight loss. Using social psychology and communication theories, including Elaboration Likelihood Model, spokesperson effects, the Theory of Planned Behavior, social cognitive theory, and self-efficacy theory, the current study features independently produced vlogs (video blogs) discussing weight loss strategies. The race and expertise of the vloggers in the videos were manipulated to test the effects on perceived message and source credibility, self-efficacy towards exercising and dieting, and behavioral intentions towards exercising and dieting. Results reveal that, although race congruency demonstrates limited effect on the outcome variables, it interacts with participant race, ethnic identity, and vlogger expertise to predict perceived message credibility, self-efficacy towards exercising and dieting, and behavioral intentions towards exercising and dieting. Asian American participants report greater perceived message credibility and behavioral intentions towards exercising and dieting after watching an Asian American vlogger compared to a White American vlogger. Asian American participants with low ethnic identity report greater self-efficacy towards exercising and dieting after watching an Asian American vlogger compared to a White American vlogger, while White American participants with low ethnic identity report greater self-efficacy towards exercising after watching an Asian American vlogger compared to a White American vlogger. Furthermore, perceived message credibility mediates the effect of the interaction of race congruency and participant race on participant’s behavioral intentions towards exercising and dieting. This study provides insights for understanding spokesperson effect and designing health campaigns in the interactive media environment

The Making of a Virtual Monster: Ideological Criticism on the ISIS Hate and Extremism

The 9/11 incident and its subsequent terrorism specifically the rise of radical Islamist groups like ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), and al-Qaeda astounds the world. ISIS’s propaganda technique using digital media helps the terrorist group motivate and recruit a large group of people from around the world. Terrorist incidents like the Dhaka café in 2016 and France soccer game attack in 2015 provide a glimpse of ISIS ferocity and barbarism with its subsequent series of attacks. This research examines the kind of rhetorical language that ISIS leaders and followers use to support their ideologies. And, how the internet became the main medium for ISIS in promoting hate ideology, violence, and terror? In this study, I follow the method of ideological criticism to examine ISIS’s rhetorical artifacts. I analyze the speeches of al-Baghdadi, the ISIS top leader, and Bangladesh and France terrorists. Specifically, I collect data from the video speeches, with the purpose of revealing how al-Baghdadi and other terrorist’s speeches were crafted with ideological elements to attract and motivate people. I, then, analyze the functions of the text, cultural influence, and practice on subsequent global socio-political reality. I identify three main ideologies from the artifacts—a) martyrdom or victory, b) global Muslims’ freedom, and c) Establishment of Caliphate for Global Muslims. ISIS ideologies work as camouflage to mislead people. The linguistic construction of ISIS messages are not exception to other such groups to motivate and recruit people. The findings of the analysis led to some intriguing results of how an extremist group begins and culminates its propaganda mechanisms though clever rhetorical strategies. ISIS incorporates concurrent problems in Muslims countries, blames the West and its allies for all those problems. The terrorist group also includes various divine and worldly benefits of terrorism in its rhetorical strategy

Caution, Traffick Ahead: Determining Message Design Features from Anti-Human Trafficking Non-Profit Organizations

This paper looks at the effectiveness of the messages distributed by Anti-Human Trafficking Non-Profit Organizations, from the perspective of the individual Non-Profit Organizations themselves. Anti-Human Trafficking messages are disseminated to the public by non-profit organizations on a daily basis, but are constantly ignored. This paper tries to determine why. Research suggests that Non-Profit Organizations use either fear appeal or a call-to-action when creating and distributing their messages, and the goal of the study conducted was to determine the effectiveness of those messages from the perspectives of those who create the messages. Participants were individuals from Anti-Human Trafficking Non-Profit Organizations that have input or control in the creation and dispersal of messages. They were asked a series of questions to determine the effectiveness of the messages they have created. The aspects following the Elaboration Likelihood model that are specifically being analyzed will include: likelihood of future behavior, demographic information, the use of fear appeal and the use of a call to action

Exploring Online Communication Strategies to Propagate Meat Consumption Ideologies

Animals are raised for human consumption. This practice has become an increasingly divisive issue in America. On one side of this issue are those who believe that eating animals and using their byproducts is natural, normal, necessary, and nice; on the other are those believe consumption of animals is unnecessary and morally wrong. The purpose of this study was to explore how pro- and anti-meat consumption organizations communicate, reinforce, and advance their ideology online to actively shape public opinion. Online textual and visual strategies were examined, building on the foundational tenets of ELM, social identity theory, anti-consumption/reasons against, and inoculation theory. The homepages of three anti-meat organizations and three pro-meat organization websites were examined using a multi-phase content analysis that included critical discourse analysis, persuasive narratives, and semiotics strategies. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. Input and output of animal production is contrasted on the pro- and anti-meat websites. Animal Rights Vegan Activists (ARVA) organizations portray animals as having souls, and are portrayed as equals to humans. Compassionate people are portrayed as those who expose the cruelty of using animals as a food source, and are vegan. Pursuit, rescue, and wretched excess plots are favored. Inoculations against lifestyle norms and values are favored. ARVA consistently portrays itself as an alternative societal lifestyle. The meat organizations focus exclusively on food. Meat is quick, easy, affordable, and nutritious. Families want to eat it, and consumers feel good about serving it. Adventure, discovery, and maturation plots are favored. Inoculations against other meats, rather than against ARVA are present. Lifestyle norms and values, credibility, and information about meat appeared to be the inoculations favored. Rather than strengthening the universal brand of meat, the organizations actively subvert it through internal competition. Instead, pro-meat consumption organizations should promote their universal brand (i.e., meat) in a manner that not only resonates with the average consumer, but also encourages collective action by consumers in defense of the meat industry

El Patrimonio Cultural en la Sociedad Digital. Un estudio de su difusión a través de Internet

[ES] El patrimonio cultural constituye uno de los impulsores de la actividad turística de cualquier ciudad, región o país, y lo hace como alternativa consolidada al turismo de masas, caracterizado por el consumo estacional de sol y playa. Actualmente, la industria turística es una de las más potentes del mundo, ya que en 2012 generó el 9% del PIB mundial (Organización Mundial del Turismo, 2013). En el caso de España las cifras son, si cabe, más concluyentes: nuestro país recibió, según Turespaña, un total de 57.7 millones de turistas, lo que provocó que esta industria representase, en 2012, el 10.8% del PIB (Instituto de Estudios Turísticos, 2013). Para seguir contextualizando el presente proyecto de tesis doctoral es necesario reparar en el protagonismo de Internet en la sociedad del siglo XXI, una sociedad netamente influenciada por las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (Castells, 2006). Así, existe en la World Wide Web un volumen cercano al 1.37 billones de páginas indexadas , cuyo público potencial ronda el 34.3% de la población mundial; a saber, unos 2.4 billones de usuarios . De nuevo en España los guarismos son irrebatibles: el 62.4% de la población de 14 años en adelante se conecta a diario, lo cual se traduce en unos 25 millones de internautas (Estudio General de Medios, octubre-noviembre 2015). A tenor de estas cifras cabe aseverar que la industria turística, donde se enmarca el turismo cultural (sustentado en el patrimonio), es uno de los principales motores de nuestra economía. Del mismo modo, Internet es uno de los medios de comunicación con mayor penetración social. En consecuencia, parece oportuno enlazar ambas cuestiones y estudiar los portales web de los municipios de España en términos patrimoniales. El propósito es determinar el perfil global que se proyecta de nuestro país en la Red; un hecho que, inevitablemente, revierte en los ciudadanos configurando, en parte, su identidad cultural colectiva. Por tanto, el estudio de encuadres sobre la identidad social a partir del análisis de contenido de sedes web municipales es, en líneas generales, el objetivo fundamental de este trabajo. De forma más detallada, se pretende identificar los elementos propios del patrimonio cultural de una muestra de localidades de España, y que se difunden en mayor medida a través de sus sitios institucionales, para poder señalar y cuantificar los tipos de enfoque más empleados en la configuración de su identidad colectiva. Subordinado al objetivo fundamental del proyecto, centrado en la dimensión informativa y textual de los sitios web, surge el segundo propósito del estudio: observar los principales aspectos del diseño de las sedes para detectar, así, mecanismos y pautas en la forma de difundir la identidad cultural de los municipios. Es por ello que se considerarán cuestiones como la apariencia visual, la arquitectura de la información y la usabilidad para determinar el estado del diseño web de los portales analizados. En síntesis, y teniendo en cuenta, por una parte, la importancia del patrimonio y el turismo cultural en la economía española y en la configuración de las identidades colectivas y, por otra parte, el protagonismo de Internet en la propagación masiva de la información, el propósito es claro: analizar el enfoque que se le confiere, en términos culturales, a la identidad social de España través de las sedes web de sus localidades. Además, es de interés establecer una comparación entre las diferentes regiones que componen el territorio nacional para detectar posibles diferencias en la transmisión de su patrimonio cultural. Por último, se sabe que un buen diseño web facilita la transmisión de la información, razón por la cual es relevante observar la forma en que la información turística y patrimonial se pone a disposición de los usuarios