Whoever let Fox think that Twitter is a potential terrorist tool is not frequent user of social networks. How do I know? Because terrorists aren’t either. Well, they start web forums to attract news sources and freak everyone out and then shut them down. No one on Twitter would follow that kind of user.**
Today BBC reported an Al-Queda deputy likened Barack Obama to a “house slave,” brought up his father’s Muslim faith, and other such issues that have profound importance for all Americans. It’s a low blow but, par usual, Twitterers are taking it in stride, demonstrating pure randomness and superfluous linking (the previous link will show you a live list of all updates).
Thanks Mark for this update: NYT chimes in on Al-Queda’s cryptic symbolism in “Al-Queda Leader Weighs in on Obama Insultingly.“
**Note: the only way I know this is because I’m on Twitter too much. Non-users sometimes assume there is a concise definition because all interactive tools like Twitter are hard to understand until users see for themselves. Any definition is ambiguous and has something to do with “microblogging.”
When you have an opportunity to interview Abu Aardvark, ask him how he handles publishing links to the sites he monitors. It’s a conundrum for scholars that goes to the heart of social media: accurate, follow-able citation vs. propagating terrorist networks.
[...] First this. Now there’s a threat of violence against Barack Obama. 2 points! Looks like we’re down to one threat on the list: incite hate. To show how serious Al-Queda really is, they released video of Ayman al-Zawahiri on BBC. [...]
[...] Queen Rania has insightful commentary on extremism, veiled women, and other Islam-related stereotypes in her interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN. It’s really good stuff if you’re looking for some closure on the al-Queda terrorism nonsense. [...]