It’s invaded their countries, used deadly, invisible drones to blow them up and killed their leader, but now the US is really gonna hit Al-Qaeda where it hurts — the internet forums. I can hear them quaking in their bomb-filled boots from here.
The US Department of Defence has come up with a cunning plan to turn two of the world’s greatest villains — internet trolls and terrorists — on each other, guaranteeing peace on the forums and safer air travel for all.
The idea’s called “Viral Peace”, and the plan is to strategically troll extremist forums, using “logic, humour, satire, [and] religious arguments, not just to confront [extremists], but to undermine and demoralise them”. It’s also the world’s first recorded employment of strategic trolling.
The plan cropped up after a senior tech adviser to the US State Department, Shahed Amanullah, noticed that most would-be jihadists were also massive braggarts. Like annoying know-it-alls on forums everywhere, terrorists tend to talk crap about stuff they know nothing about. The strategy, therefore, is to smack them bitches down in a funny way, making them look like morons online and making innocent, susceptible would-be bombers less likely to listen to their bullshit.
I think it’s genius — Amanullah deserves whatever the US version of a knighthood is if this works. The only thing missing is a website with links to a “best of” compilation of their funniest work, so we can all have a good laugh. Bet this has got Al-Qaeda running scared though — might want to recruit a good social media consultant, guys. [Wired]
Our newest offspring Gizmodo UK is gobbling up the news in a different timezone, so check them out if you need another Giz fix. [clear]
Image: US Army