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Is Twitter a terrorist tool?

Posted at 8:48 PM on October 26, 2008 by Bob Collins (6 Comments)
Filed under: Tech

Monday's Future Tense (already recorded) was the last one on which I get to fill in for Jon Gordon. Too bad, because the U.S. Army's assertion that Twitter, the social networking/microblogging/instant messaging service, poses a threat as a terrorist tool is worth exploring.

"Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences," the report said.

Vegetarians? Are they on a watch list now?

GPS cellphone service was also highlighted as a potential threat.

Comments (6)

It was hard to watch the vegetarians even before Twitter. They tend be thin and can hide behind things easily. ;)

Posted by Alison | October 26, 2008 9:19 PM

I think the metal knives and forks that airlines give first-class passengers pose more of a terrorist threat than Twitter does.

What needs to be borne in mind is that this country is still in hyperventilation mode regarding the issue of terrorism.

The chance of any given individual in the U.S. being the victim of a terrorist attack is less than the chance of being struck by lightning, Twitter or no Twitter.

Posted by Bob | October 26, 2008 10:19 PM

While this is true, one could argue that the telephone or the car is a terrorist tool.

Where does it end? With government control or monitoring of everything?

For those interested in the Twitter feeds from the RNC protest groups that are mentioned in this article, see here on the RNC '08 Report website.

Posted by Nigel Parry | October 27, 2008 12:29 AM

Many of the same dangers could be said about the telephone, email, and blogs. If you look for potential dangers you are sure to find them.

Posted by Bruce | October 27, 2008 8:11 AM

"Vegetarians? Are they on a watch list now?"

Right below the Quakers.

Posted by bsimon | October 27, 2008 8:56 AM

Atheists and religious people, never before did they team up, but they shall do so now on Twitter in the name of terrorism!

Posted by Donavon | October 27, 2008 9:26 AM