Use of Social Media By Militants In West Africa Must Be Contained

With violent extremists skilfully exploiting digital platforms, Africa should pressure tech companies to deal with terrorism online, writes Karen Allen for the Institute for Security Studies.

Militia groups in West Africa are fine-tuning their tactics to hijack social media platforms and messaging apps. Parts of the region have been home to the fastest-growing and deadliest violent groups, the Global Terrorism Index reveals. And there's been a steady rise in incidents where social media platforms and messaging apps have become an integral part of their modus operandi.

A workshop in Ghana organised by Tech Against Terrorism (TAT) - a non-governmental organisation established by the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee - outlined the expansive nature of online content in West Africa and highlighted strategies to mitigate the risks. Violent groups in the region - especially in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin - use the internet to deliver propaganda, recruit, radicalise and incite attacks, and finance and plan their operations, Allen writes.