A major component of counter-terrorism studies today is the attempt to identify the processes that motivate an individual to perpetrate acts of terrorism. This process has been broadly termed radicalization, and properly understanding the way in which a radicalized person can have an immeasurable impact on the future of counter-terrorism. In today’s day and age, technology has aided the terrorists in the radicalization process.

 

The intersection of counter-terrorism policy with technological developments in cyberspace is a critical one: on the one hand, counter-terrorist and law enforcement authorities can leverage new technological measures to mitigate terrorist activity both online and in the physical world; on the other, terrorist groups are also increasingly taking advantage of technological advances.  This workshop will explore the importance of state and private sector actors' maintaining the highest level of technological readiness and capabilities in countering terrorism. Such measures include projects such as the RED Alert (Real-time Early Detection Alert System for Terrorist Content); and encompass, as well, broader technological platforms for early detection of hostile activity in cyberspace.

 

The Workshop will explore the advantages and challenges of such measures, including the promotion of their use on the part of policymakers and regulators. It will also delve into the concept of radicalization and examine how technology can play a role in countering this process, while exploring policy options for states to help them contend with the radicalization phenomenon. Workshop participants will be invited to share specific case studies of utilization of technological platforms for counter-terrorism in general, and hostile terrorist activity in cyberspace in particular.

 

Finally, some of the projects that the ICT has been working on in the last few years will be presented, namely the H2020 Projects Red Alert and Trivalent, as well as the International Cyber Terrorism Regulation Project (ICTRP).

 

 

The session is organized in cooperation with Red Alert, a H2020 Project