THE ISIS MEDIA NETWORK AND THE ACTIVITIES OF CYBER JIHADISTS

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the directions of the ISIS media strategy. It is shown that, unlike other terrorist groups, ISIS has formed media organizations responsible for the preparation and dissemination of thoughtful propaganda content, including turning social networks from a simple tool into a multifunctional weapon and becoming a skilled, literate Internet user.

The military intervention of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq, the overthrow of the Saddam regime, and the subsequent “Arab Spring” revolutions in the Middle East weakened and collapsed state structures in a number of countries in the region, including Iraq and Syria. During the turbulent changes that occurred during these processes, radical Islamist forces, in particular the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” (ISIL), joined the struggle to replace the corrupt former regimes that had lost the support of the population and seize power. ISIS used the resulting social injustice, economic inequality, and political pressures to spread its ideology and achieve its main goals.

There was the multilingual ISIS media center Al-Hayat, responsible for propaganda content, the Al-Furqan and Al-Itisam film studios, which produce Islamic songs (Nasheeds) Al-Ajnad, as well as the Al-Bayan radio station, which broadcasts propaganda programs on the territory of the caliphate.

ISIS has professionally used Facebook, Twitter, mobile apps, and chat rooms, published reports on its activities on various platforms, and broadcast ideological messages, propaganda videos, and instructions. It has broadcast high-quality propaganda films on various video platforms in order to attract young people from different countries of the world, and has organized forums by creating closed discussion platforms among individuals inclined to radical ideology. A group of hackers under the brand of ISIS also formed on the Internet, which acted as a special unit of the so-called Cyber Caliphate organization.

The dissemination of professionally edited videos, high-quality photographs and symbolic messages by ISIS using digital technology allowed it to form the visual power of the “caliphate” and gather thousands of supporters.

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Received: 16.02.26 / Revised: 28.02.26 / Accepted: 18.03.26 / Published:30.03.26