Which is the Shortest Path to Access into Online Terrorist Content? Distance Analysis From the Search Words

• In Event: Examining the Behaviors and Characteristics of Terrorists and Extremists On and Off-line

Abstract

Nowadays, it is undeniable that cyberspace has become the predominant channel for spreading radical and terrorist contents of Islamist inspiration. Talking about websites, forums or social networks, among others, the current immeasurable dissemination and propagandistic effectiveness of these online contents are both a real risk for those who are attracted to the called “cyber-jihad”, as a challenge for being faced by public authorities.

For all explained above, and based on the theoretical environmental contributions on crime path applied to cyberspace, the main aim of this paper is to determine the shortest access virtual path to contents of a radical and terrorist nature through the Google search engine. To achieve this aim, the study has been supported by two lexicographical dictionaries based on the criteria of CRIMINA’s experts on jihadist radicalization. During the study, both dictionaries were combined under anonymous browsing conditions using basic boolean operators. The results showed that certain combinations of words significantly increase the virtual proximity of contents of this nature against others words.

Authors

• Fernando Miró Llinares, CRIMINA Research Center for the Study and Prevention of Crime (Miguel Hernández University)

• Francisco Javier Castro Toledo, Miguel Hernández University