U.S. Army Says Terrorists Could Use Twitter
It seems the U.S. military isn’t as big on Twitter as the rest of the blogosphere.
Most people who Twitter do so several times a day. There’s no point Tweeting unless you’re going to make use of the fact that you can update from your mobile phone and therefore, from pretty much anywhere with mobile signal.
It seems the U.S. Army is a little worried that terrorists will realize just how useful Twitter is for keeping your cronies up to date with your movements (because everyone needs to know that you spent seven hours watching paint dry) and an intelligence report now details the different ways in which terrorists could use the microblogging service as an operational tool.
According to ComputerWorld, the report points out that Twitter is already used members to post or support extremist ideologies and perspectives. "For example, there are multiple pro and anti Hezbollah Tweets,” the report said. “In addition, extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already evolving in use by ’hacktivists’ and activist for surveillance. This could theoretically be combined with targeting."
Aside from listing the ways in which terrorists could use Twitter to coordinate near real time attacks, the report from the U.S. Army’s 304th Military Intelligence Battalion also cited several examples of real Tweets sent from by unknown users, likely U.S. military personnel.
"Drove off base today down Route Irish [Baghdad airport road] in an ’NTV and didn’t get blown up fun fun"
"Today is my day off. 115 already in Camp Bucca Iraq."
Read the full story on ComputerWorld.
- T-Mobile Android G1s Going Cheap at Wal-mart
- Toys 'R' Us to Stock iPods and Eee PCs
- Gmail Adds Docs and Calendar to Left-Nav
- Notebook Shipments Outstrip Desktops
- Sonos Introduces New iPhone Controller
- Dell Announces the Inspiron Mini 12 -- Biggest Netbook Yet
- Stardock Investigates Non-Intrusive Solution to DRM
- Netflix Taps Microsoft’s Silverlight for Second-gen Media Player
- Jointech Introduces $125 Netbook -- Cheap Enough?
- Sprint CEO Says Android Not Good Enough for Sprint Branding
- Windows 7 to Improve Notebook Battery Life
- Lenovo Gets Splashtop Instant-On Pre-boot Option
- Psystar Mac Clones Coming With Blu-ray Bags of Hurt
- Asus to Launch Android Phone in H1 2009
- Google Settles Lawsuit With Book Authors in $125 Million Deal
- Tech Companies Sign Human Rights Policy
- HP Expands Netbook Offerings, Adds One For Fashionistas
- Computer Shaped Like a Tube: a Nettop by CLVE
- AT&T (Finally) Offers Free Wi-Fi for iPhones, BlackBerrys
Good to know that the taxpayer dollars are being well spent!
Define "extremist." They think that we're extreme. I'm so tired of humans labeling each other based on ideologies. Fact is, there is no such thing as "terrorists" only those that you would label as such based upon your perspective. Thanks for sharing your perspective though. Besides, we're Americans (as are Mexicans and Canadians and Brazilians and Costa Ricans)...and we're not fat we're just big boned.
True. One groups terrorist is another groups soldier. Just a matter of perspective.
Anyhow. I believe most any bigger group of people with a common goal can find communication means like twitter if that is what they need to pursuit whatever goal they're going for. I don't nessecarily agree with their goals, but I think the news is a bit .... irrelevant.
Quick! Someone shut down the internet, it could be used by terrorists. We should also ban all forms of electronic communication that the US government is already listening in on, it could be used by terrorists!
OMG I have a towel wrapped around my head... I must be a terrorist.
Arg... need the ability to edit these comments.
Meant "isn't already".