The basic principles of resistance to the ideology of terrorism in Russia featured in the Federal Law “On resisting terrorism” and the Presidential Order “On measures for resisting terrorism.” Accents are shifted to the notion of an "ideology of violence", which enables, together with anti-terrorism institutions, to concentrate attention on warning of and prevention of terrorism.
Actually, it means forming a new system of resistance to terrorism and those aspects, which touch upon ideological issues. The Internet plays the most important role in this process. However, we should consider that the Net is not only a source of new opportunities, but also of serious risks, which should be considered too.
The world pays close attention to the problem of cyber-security. In 2002 in the USA adopted a national strategy on providing security of cyber-space. In Belarus, our partner in the Customs Union, in 2010 the order of the president "On measures to perfect the use of the national segment of the Net" was introduced. It presupposes that owners of Internet-cafes should establish the identity of clients, and providers should store information on pages downloaded by users. In the UK several young people were charged with inciting riots on social networks during the well-known events.
At the same time, the Internet as a source of information has great credibility amongst Russia’s population. According to polls conducted by MSU experts, 36.9% of respondents think that it is the Internet that provides the most truthful information on world and Russian developments. Second place is taken by federal television (34.1%). Third and fourth places are taken by non-official sources of information: relatives, friends, colleagues, tutors and teachers, as well as the local mass media (27.4%). Fifth place is taken by central newspapers and magazines.
The appraisal by young people (18-25 year-olds) doesn’t differ from the appraisal of Russian population in general. Meanwhile, it is obvious that the Internet allows young people to spread extremist ideas, which lead to the deformation of political and life guidelines. 48% of respondents pointed to this source. Religious mentors take second place (34.2%). Third place is taken by neighbors and friends (17.6%), followed by pamphlets (10.5%), education abroad (9.8%), universities (8%), relatives (8%) and radio (5.3%).
According to the frequency of facing terrorist organizations’ information in the Internet, North Ossetia takes first place (10.3%). It is followed by Ingushetia (9.1%), Kabardino-Balkaria (7%), Chechnya (4.4%), Dagestan (3.3%), and the Astrakhan region (3.1%).
Forms of propaganda of extremist ideas are various and don't always urge the overthrow of the current regime. Terrorism has changed during recent years, on the Net it appears in forms that do not correspond to formal criteria.
For example, the population is influenced by exaggeration of a social problem and the presentation of it as inter-ethnic, inter-confessional and demanding radical measures. A more obvious form is justifying and legitimising extremist practices.
The Internet enables effective destructive propaganda and organization of mobilization of young people. Social networks, one-day websites, blogs – the spectrum of tools is wide. Young people have no immunity to destructive ideas, which are hidden by a mask of social problems.
What is an adequate response to these challenges?
First of all, a sound legal platform is necessary, which will resist extremism on the Net and the so-called twitter-revolutions. Not all threats are of internal origin. We often face destructive activity provided by foreign forces.
In the sphere of ideology, it is necessary to provide information and propaganda work on the Net, common for all official bodies It should be aimed at forming the population’s negative attitude to radical religious, extremist and terrorist unities.
The Internet should not only resist terrorist and extremist ideology, but also form socially-important values in society and raise tolerance.
The scale of the implemented work doesn’t correspond to the danger rate. 46.2% of Russia’s citizens were confronyed with anti-terrorist materials in 2010, frequently – 20.6%, accidentally – 25.6%.
Even in regions where the terrorist threat is high, anti-terrorist arrangements don't cover enough of the population. Moreover, many respondents noted the low quality of these materials. Anti-extremist propaganda on the Internet isn’t aimed at a target audience, it doesn’t consider the perception by young people of such materials.
Destructive activities should be resisted, not only at the stage of “direct threat”, but at the levels when “human soul catchers” use unsettled social issues and criticism of corruption as a way of expanding their support base. For the North Caucasus audience, this objective is the priority.
Aleksey Vlasov.
