The Impact of Terrorist Attacks on Pro-ISIL Narratives in the Twitter Sphere

• In Event: Online Influences and Outcomes of Violent Ideological Crime

Abstract

This paper presents findings from the second stage of an ongoing project that examines narratives of the virtual ummah on Twitter. In the first study, we examined discourses present in tweets (n = 4,302) immediately after three ISIL-led or ISIL-inspired mass casualty events: Paris coordinated assault, Orlando night club shooting, and Nice ramming. We found considerable evidence of justifications for violence grounded in themes of hypocrisy, retaliation, and ideology. The current study extends these findings to understand how mass casualty events alter narratives among ISIL sympathizers on Twitter. Specifically, we analyzed the content of tweets (n ≈ 20,000) from 48 hours before to 48 hours after each terrorist attack to determine if and how messaging changes after a mass casualty event. Findings from this study will help to unpack sympathies and support for ISIL in the digital sphere, which can provide insight on potential counter-messaging strategies.

Authors

• Karyn Sporer, University of Maine

• Michael K. Logan, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Gina S. Ligon, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Douglas C. Derrick, University of Nebraska at Omaha