An estimated 5,000 ISIS propoganda accounts have been shut down on Twitter and names of alleged extremist recruiters Published by Anonymous, a shadowy group of hackers, reports say. Meanwhile in India, ISIS tentacles have already touched young impressionable minds. Some of the youngsters arrested while departing India to join ISIS admitted they were Recruited over Facebook and other social media sites. In all this, the internet has played a key role.
What are the lessons for India from this battle so far ? What can we do to better protect our cyber borders ? To discuss these challenges, BOOM's editor-in-chief Govindraj Ethiraj was joined by Saikat Datta - Author & columnist; Subimal Bhattacharjee – Cyber-security Analyst & C Uday Bhaskar - Security & Defence expert.
Commodore Uday Bhaskar, Security & Defence Expert says India needs to first map out the extent of the challenge posed by technologies being used by terror organisations like the ISIS. He also says the effort to fight the propaganda being spread online by extremist groups has to be a concerted effort that includes the common man.
Saikat Datta, Author & Columnist says the war against online propaganda and conversions has to be using technology itself. He explains that like technology is an enabler for groups like ISIS, similarly it can be used by Indian agencies to tackle the spread.
Subimal Bhattacharjee, Cyber security Analyst says the fight against the spread of ISIS's ideology has to include manpower management and the need for an updated national policy in this regard.
Saikat Datta emphasises the need for a relook towards the national policy as law of the technology is that it changes every 18 months. The Indian government needs to work at a speed much faster than the current going rate.