CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group became one of the significant
issues in several previous years especially in 2014, rises as one of the US citizens beheaded
by the member of IS and the footage distributed widely via internet. Due to the fast growth of
technology, people took this advantage especially on social media, including ISIS in order to
recruit foreigners from all over the world. Using social media such as Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, and others, they also used effective method of persuasion technique to persuade
people.
Terrorist organization called ISIS has utilized a sleek social media strategy to recruit
foreign fighters through propaganda. In increase the number of their members more than 15,
000 people from around the world that is actively joined ISIS with the goal to fight for a
Caliphate (Kelly, 2014).
It showed that ISIS used network centric warfare to recruit their members, especially
through social media because they know the power of social media in influencing peoples
intention. Past research studies have discussed the effectiveness of persuasion technique that
had been used in social media which will give huge influence toward users. Thus, this
research will focus on the persuasion technique that has been used by ISIS in social media in
recruiting their members.
According to Trisha (2012), nowadays social media become one of the superset of social
interaction which beyond social communication. Due to the social media revolution, there are
many social media platform emerge such as, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Skype and others,
people around the world especially youth extremely use these platform as their
communication tools to connect with their friends around the world without limit as long as
they connect with internet.
Due to the emergence of modern technology like social media, people nowadays no need
to go far for searching information. According to Philippa, Kitty Rahilly, Ingrid Richardson,
and Amanda (2011), they point out that there are many benefits that users can get from the

modern technology especially social media such as, delivering and receiving the information,
facilitating supportive relationships, and also promoting a sense of belonging and self-esteem
among the users.
That the reason why ISIS grabs this opportunity to influence and persuade people in order
to recruit their group. Recently, social media start empowerment to influence peoples
attention, beliefs and also behavior in order to achieve the persuaders goals.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
There are certain factors cause the increasing of ISIS members nowadays. Some of the
factors might due to the emergence of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Blog, and other
networking sites when these sites react as platforms for ISIS to recruit their members
(Bungga, 2015). Therefore, the increasing of social media users will indirectly increase the
possibility of the ISIS recruitment.
According to Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin in the news article (Metro Ahad, 2015), he
mentioned that based on the statistical number of 123 people are arrested, include 23 women
and 16 foreigners during February 2015. The police also believe that almost 100 Malaysian
still in Syria, based on 10 Malaysians families identified, while 14 of them already died.
Currently, ISIS becomes aggressive especially in Malaysia when they started to use social
media as their platform to interact and influence people besides from recruiting people to join
them. In addition, via this platform, they are not only attracting mature adults to perform jihad
but also youth, because they are the most active users in social media (Metro Ahad, 2015).
According to Berger and Morgan (2015), they stated that there are almost 20,000 of ISIS
supporters accounts in Twitter. ISIS supporters are very active in Twitter when almost 35%
users tweeted within 24 hours and other 16% users tweeted within seven days.
The misunderstanding of jihad among Muslim becomes the main reason for the increasing
ISIS followers in Malaysia, which are 67 people with 12 women and 57 men. Besides, IS
women play the important role in influencing, recruiting and spreading ideology that is those
who married with mujahidin, they will get the reward as they are responsible in producing
next generation for Islamic State (Sinar Harian, 2015).
According to Mustaffa (2015), the word jihad is refer to peacefulness but, because of the
mistakes in understanding the meaning of jihad and the belief of all people need to do jihad,

bring the word jihad into terrorism and cause some chaos around the world especially to all
Muslim.
The successfully of social media as a platform for ISIS to recruit their members and users
to join their activities is a threat to the nation. The recruitment can be done through several
techniques, include persuasion. Therefore, identify the type of persuasion techniques in IS
recruitment can directly help the law enforcement agencies to prevent the social media users,
especially youth, influenced by the IS cyber troopers.
1.3 Research Aim
Due to the problem that ISIS start to use social media as their platform in recruiting their
members, added with the issue of ISIS is quite new, so the researcher decided to more focus
on defining the most effective persuasion technique that used by ISIS.
This research aims to identify the persuasion techniques used by ISIS to recruit new
members through social media.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
There is several research questions that become guidance for the researcher to stay align
in the research topic. The research questions are as below:
a. What kinds of persuasion techniques can be used in social media to persuade people?
b. What are the types of strategy and technique of persuasion might be used by ISIS to
recruit new members?
c. How to identify the persuasion techniques used by ISIS to influence people in social
media?
1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are more on answering the research questions and play the
important role in maintaining the researcher in the right path during the research. The
objectives are as follow:
a. To identify the persuasion techniques in social media.
b. To propose a persuasion model used by ISIS to recruit new members.

c. To analyze the social media data based on the persuasion model.

1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN
There were several epistemology that researcher can choose whether to use
interpretation or positivism. According to Fred Dretske (N.D), he states that epistemology is a
knowledge that the researcher can gain although it quite limits, nature, sources and also forms
knowledge.
This study choose to use positivism which believe that behavioral changes by people
those who read the information or status updates from ISIS members in social media is caused
by the effectiveness of the persuasion technique used by them. Due to the right technique they
choose added by the most power technology, social media so it should be no problem for them
to influence people.
Methodology for this study is content analysis which more focuses on coding sheet by
Altheide& Schneider (2013). The terms that will include in the coding sheet will explain in
the methodology chapter. The main in using coding sheet is because it will identify the
common or the most persuasion technique that has been used by Dr. Sham which is one of the
popular of ISIS member.
Next, the method in collecting the data is qualitative method which focusing in content
analysis through coding sheet. This study will collect the data based on the status, comment
and other from the selected ISIS members account in social media.
1.7 RESEARCH SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
In order to more specific in conducting this study due to the topic, the scope is come
with several variables that help this study to become more focus and align with the topic. In
addition, it also helps in order to find the reliable literature review from the previous research.
Such as the most active social media account used by users, strategy of persuasion that
commonly used by the persuaders in social media, pattern of persuasion technique and also
how those persuasion technique can effect to the behavioral changes of the readers.
Limitation of study will become as a challenge in conducting the study. Such as the
most problem or limitation that faces by most of the study is time constrains, it is because due
to this study, the time needed to collect the data within five (5) weeks. Although it looks very

short time, but actually there was many data will be collect because as we know status or
comment that updated by the social media users are unaccountable.
According to Gannon(2013), she states that the user of social media will update their
status if the just viewed their friends status update, rather than others those who hadnt aware
with the status that updated from their friend. It showed that users will respond if the read or
saw any of their friend update their status.
Other than that, Facebooks friend can influence the real-life actions of other users, it
proven when the message that regarding election sent to 61 million Facebook users then led to
340, 000 people casting ballots when they otherwise would not have (Gannon, 2013).
Next, other limitation is only focus on one selected ISIS members account in social
media. The reason why this study chooses to only focus on one selected ISIS members
account is because the huge number of their followers. But, it might be limited for the study to
collect the data. Additionally, become unfriend by the selected ISIS member is the most
important problem, it is because once they realize that they has been hacked by any person, it
will make them stop the page and change to the other new page. It has been experienced by
the previous researcher which uses the same method in their research.
1.8 RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION AND SIGNIFICANCE
The contribution of the study is more to answer and fulfill its objectives as mentioned
before. It is because that is the main purpose in conducting this study, so all the things or
processes during conducting the research must be align with the objectives of the study.
Other, the finding from this study will assist any organizations or agencies that plan to
counter back on ISIS online recruitment campaign. In order to counter back enemy, first they
need to use the same strategy as the enemy used. So, it will easier for them to detect and
determine the enemy strengths and weaknesses.
Lastly, the next significant regarding to this study is the finding can be reference to
other academician scholars who conducts the similar research such as, an effectiveness of
persuasion technique in social media.

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses on the definition term that used in the topic. Literature review

will be conduct based on the several term in order to help this study more clear and focus to
achieve its the objectives. There are several terms that become the main point in selecting
literature review, virtual world, social media, propaganda, persuasion, and also some similar
studies that already conducted by previous researcher regarding persuasion in social media.
2.2

VIRTUAL WORLD
In the era of technologies nowadays, virtual world and social networking become the

most used application and trendy that has been used by society in connecting with one
another. Although both, virtual world and social networking shared many comparable aspect
but there are have different respect on how users interact and communicate through both.
According to Papp (2010), he points out that virtual world is an attractive replicated
world that allocate users to interact and communicate each other via online interface.
However, there are some characteristic must be followed in using virtual world such as, the
users must share the same space in order to contribute concurrently, allocate and encourage
users to form a group in virtual world, and persistent and maintain regardless of whether
individual users are logged in.

The author also reports there are hundreds of virtual world which is each of its targets
a different group of population such as, children, youths, and adult. Because of other virtual
world none has matched with the popularity of Second Life, on 2003, San Francisco released
a three-dimensional in order to vary amount of activities in the virtual world, besides attract
for new users (Wagner, 2008).
According to Derrickson (2008), virtual world as known as Second Life (SL) means
MUVE (multi-user virtual environment) which become as a huge digital continent abound to
the users. There are three things that attract users to involve in Second Life, first: it offers
space of education, commerce, tourism, and entertainment, which users can just select what
they want to use. Second, almost 12, 480, 281 worldwide consumers identified, proposed, and
detailed on this space, lastly, this space also allow the users to use avatar which represent their
self with unlimited personalizable.
Therefore, Islam as well as Muslim took this opportunity to involve in this space of
multi-user virtual world, which has been popular and used by the users. Additionally, this
space not only provide social space such as, shopping or other services, but in religion side it
provide various of worship places in order easy for the users to choose worship places they
want to go. For instance, mosques, churches, synagogues, temples, and so on, regarding for
Islamic space, they not only represent the several of mosques, it also allow the Muslim user to
learn about Islam and share experience the Hajj with others (Derrickson, 2008).
As stated in Mail Online (2008), in December 9, 2008 was the first Muslim Virtual
World called Muxlim Pal has launched by Mohamd El-Fatatry. This space promotes an
Islamic lifestyle, which permits users to watch a cartoon avatar or pal that can move
anywhere with promotes Islamic culture such as, go to prayer room and they also dress in
Muslim clothing. Besides that, there is meters which control the spirituality, emotion, and
knowledge that can change the character of the pals.
The founder of Muxlim.com, Mohamed El-Fatatry also remarks that, the purpose of
this space is to create a family-friendly environment in our community, and this website can
be visit not only for Muslim people, but non-Muslim too.
With syndicate two key interrelated elements, that are: extensive use of the social
media on the hand and extreme and savage cruelty on the other make ISIS become a
successful organization when they success in conquering many geography areas with attract

peoples attention around the world on an unprecedented global scale (Siboni, Cohen, and
Koren, 2015). Besides that, the combination between interrelated elements also one of the
strategy which assist them to associate their power of extensive state, serve as the current
leader in the name of Jihad, and threaten from the Western that actually those people are their
agents which holding citizenship in Western country.
In addition, psychological warfare that used by most of the terrorist organizations is
not a new phenomenon, according to Brandon (2008), he observes that the used of internet or
website became the important tool for worldwide Islamic extremists not only to recruit and
radical members for their new generations, but also become the new strategies in order to
spread hatred and endorse violence among community.
The websites also widely used not only to socialize the messages and video, it also as
a medium to allocate the extreme Wahhabi and Salafi interpretation of Islam that produced by
the extremists Islamic group such as, al-Qaeda.
Islambase.co.uk is the example of Muslim virtual space that widely used and known as
the most significant website used by UK-based Islamic extremists. This website also
extensively used by the prominent extremists group for example, Abu Hamza, Sheikh
Abdullah Faisal and Abu Izzadeen to make chaos in there such as, inciting terrorism and
soliciting murder in UK(Brandon, 2008).
The most important is the purpose of extremists group in using websites is not only to
promote the Islamic radicals in UK, but more focus on illustrate to the community on how
extremists like them re-organized themselves in response to British anti-terrorism measures
by finding ways to maintain their online movement.
Currently, according to Crecente (2014), ISIS released a sickening trailer video game
for Grand Theft Auto (GTA) that as recruitment and training video game, which can allow
their supporters to play the role of Islamic extremists on a mission to kill Westerners. This
video game is actually adapted from the famous video game called ARMA III, in order to
create the characters that exactly same like ISIS militant.
According to Egyptian media, they said that the aims of the video game is to raise the
morale of the Mujahideen, and also to recruit children and young teenagers in order to fight
the West, and throw terror into their hearts of opponent the state, (cited in Crecente, 2014).

Not only that, the other purpose of this video game is also to train the children and youth to
their perverted cause and radicalize the vulnerable.

Figure
2.1: Grand-Auto Theft released by ISIS. (Adapted from Mail online, September 19, 2014).

They also applied the same action in their real battlefields to encourage users to kill
the enemy, and playing pro-jihadi music to make it look and sound like real-life footage as it
happened in Syria and Iraq.
2.3

SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media not a new thing nowadays, it permit people whether individuals, groups,

organizations, governments or others to exchange whatever they want such, photos, videos,
news, stories, opinions, and many more.
According to Dewing (2010), the term social media can be defines as a wide range of
internet-based, portable services, and sometime known as Web 2.0 which permit the users to
do online exchange, share content, as well as allow people to connect each other. There are
several types of internet services which frequently linked with social media that is blogs,
wikis, social bookmarking, social network sites, status-update services, virtual world content,
and media-sharing sites.
In the same manner, according to Mathews (2012), he considers that the purpose in
using social media is to involve in two-way communication. It is also example of Web 2.0
which all the applications contain some sort of communication competence between the users.
At the same time, the growth and improvement of some factors like technological with
enhanced of broadband, software tools and the powerful of computer and mobile devices
make the rapid uptake of social media especially among younger age groups. It proven when
social media has increased widespread acknowledges and several services increased big
number of users (Dewing 2010).

Social media is controlling force for our life in the modern world that make people
change mind and help people catch more things in one time. Clearly, there are several social
media which very familiar and most popular especially among younger users including ISIS
group. Social media give us huge impact for us these days, it make most of the people cannot
live without social media. It make over the year, social media sites also have also proven to be
an effective platforms for many things.
As stated in The Statistical Portal (2015), this statistic reports that the most popular
networks worldwide until August 2015 was led by Facebook which become the first social
media network

when it surpass 1 billion registered accounts. Next, followed by

microblogging network Twitter that had over 316 million, meanwhile blogging service
Tumblr had more than 230 million active blog users on their site.

Figure 2.2:
of the most
networks
until August
2015(Source:
Statistical
2015).

That

The statistic
popular
worldwide
The
Portal

is

the

reason why

this

study

just focus in

Facebook,

Twitter and

Blog

according to

know

the

techniques of persuasions that have been used by ISIS through social media in persuading and
recruiting people.
There are various types of social media. The following sections contain brief
description the popular social media.
2.3.1 Facebook
In November 2012, Facebook announced it had achieved almost 1billion users
worldwide, which 18 million of them are from Canada (Dewing, 2010). Facebook also
become one of the most familiar social media among society because they can connect with
people at anywhere and anytime. Users also can post and share whatever they want such as,
photos, videos, update status about what they are doing in order to let other friends know, join
groups, and others.
As stated in The Statistical Portal (2015), there is 1.44 million of active users visited
the social media on daily basis for the first quarter of 2015 is almost 1, 000 million users
(figure 2.2).

Figure 2.3:Number of monthly active Facebook users worldwide as of

1st quarter 2015. (Source: The Statistical Portal 2015

2.3.2 Twitter
Twitter is another one an online social media which created in 2006 by Evan Williams,
Noah Glass, Jack Dorsey, and Biz Stone. This medium allow users to send and read short 140character messages known as tweets, unfortunately only registered users and do both send
and read message while users those not register just can read the message only.
According to Banbersta (2010), he points out that, there are two factors that make
twitter success such as, through business perspective and users perspective. In addition,
twitter character has been indicate based on profile, search friend, followers, and also other
basic function of social network sites. According to Bake (2009), twitter can be define as a
micro-blogging platform, which means this service permit users to send short message each
other, furthermore the basic of this service is instant relay chat (IRC), instant messaging (IM),
and mobile phones (SMS). While Jefferson (2008) states that other people consider twitter as
a social network site (cited in Banbersta, 2010).
Bob Mathews (2010), also indicates that twitter is a platform that aimed by the users
to place answer to the What am I doing question, through almost 140 characters, but also
changed into more than that.
Meanwhile, Thelwall (2007) argues that twitter cannot only belong to social only, but
it also belongs to the networking and navigation. Through social platform means users can
communicate each other via short message, while as networking platform means users can use
it to search for a place to share opinion or knowledge. Twitter as navigation platform in order

to help users find some information or resources on YouTube or other (cited in Banbersta,
2010).
According to The Statistics Portal (2015), the number those user that active in Twitter
monthly from the 1st quarter 2010 until 1st quarter 2015 was averaged at 236 million active
users (figure 2.4). It shows that Twitter is one of the famous and fast growth social media
among the users, especially younger users.

Figure 2.4: The fast growth of Twitter in1st quarter 2010- 1st quarters
2015(Source:The Statistical Portal 2015).

2.3.3 Blog
Blogs can also define as a term that means Web log, which become as an online,
chronological set of personal annotations and links. It is also claim as a form of internet
publishing which has created interaction tools, when it also known as medium for online
publication of personal diaries to a respected tools for editorials on certain topics. At the same
time, there are most of the bloggers commonly leads to generate a tough sense of community
(Thomas, 2005).
Recently, almost thousand people decide to use this service including Blogger itself,
automate, and also accelerate the online publishing process. Therefore there are several type
of blog emerge for instance, group blogs consists of family blogs, community blogs, and
corporate blog, WarBlogs more relate on war, LibBlogs (Library blogs), and EduBlogs
(Education blogs) which focusing on education purpose.
The using of blog is as simple as using other online email program, that need the
blogger to go into the posts which contain blogging application, what they have been post

then add some formatting or hyperlink to any related link, lastly save what they had post.
Same goes like other social network, blog also allow fostering the blogger and the visitor to
interact each other, whether through feedback such as, comment or respond on their own blog
but link to the original post called trackback, then it can referenced by the owner of the
original blog.
According to Bob Mathews (2010), he also declares that the origin of blog is from the
word Web Log, but it not specific on that, it just like a simple online diary. There are dozens
of bloggers out there that people can choose to visit.
Figure 2.5 showed that the statistic illustrates Tumblr.coms increasing the blogs users
from May 2011 to April 2015; it had surpassed almost 227 million blog accounts than only
195.1 million back then (The Statistics Portal, 2015).