ISIS Supporters Threaten Twitter, Facebook CEOs Over Suspended Accounts
A group supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS, has issued a direct threat against the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter for suspending the accounts of the terrorist group.
A group labeling itself as "the sons of the Caliphate army" made the threat via a 25-minute propaganda video. In the clip, photographs of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his Twitter counterpart, Jack Dorsey, were shown with bullet holes. The video was discovered by deep web analysts from Vocativ on the social media service Telegram, which ISIS uses.
The terrorists said that the video is a response to Facebook and Twitter's increasing efforts to block accounts and posts that rouse violence and endorse terrorism.
"If you close one account we will take 10 in return and soon your names will be erased after we delete you [sic] sites, Allah willing, and will know that we say is true," the group's video warned.
Through the clip, the extremist group claimed they have hacked over 10,000 Facebook accounts, 150 Facebook groups and 5,000 Twitter profiles to post ISIS propaganda.
A spokesperson from Twitter said that the firm would not be releasing a retort to the threat, given that the company gets this kind of intimidation repeatedly. San Francisco Police Officer Wilson Ng said that he doesn't know any "credible threats" against Twitter HQ, though another threat was issued directly to Dorsey and his employees back in March 2015.
"Your virtual war on us will cause a real war on you," ISIS' statement read. "You started this failed war. We told you from the beginning it's not your war, but you didn't get it and kept closing our accounts on Twitter, but we always come back. But when our lions [brave men] come and take your breath, you will never come back to life."
Social Media Actions Against ISIS
Over the past six months, Twitter has shut down around 125,000 accounts spreading ISIS propaganda, training new recruits and glorifying terrorist attacks. Zuckerberg said Facebook does not tolerate this behavior, adding that they are responsible for helping the government to ensure the society's safety.
Social media companies have been working with the U.S. government to combat ISIS' spreading influence. In January, a private summit was held in San Jose to launch a social media campaign against ISIS. The summit included the likes of Apple, Facebook, Twitter and senior security officials such as National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers.
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