World of Spycraft, sort of

Yes, terrorist cells are very creative in their use of Internet and communications technology. That doesn't mean that Al Qaeda has infiltrated Azeroth:

Be careful who you frag. Having eliminated all terrorism in the real world, the U.S. intelligence community is working to develop software that will detect violent extremists infiltrating World of Warcraft and other massive multiplayer games, according to a data-mining report from the Director of National Intelligence.

I really, really hope that this is just some cutesy disinformation campaign. Otherwise, someone in the US government needs to be slapped hard.

If terrorists are using Second Life and World of Warcraft to hook up, by all means, let them. Not only would they have to create accounts, using valid e-mail addresses, but in the case of WoW, terrorists have to give a credit card number, too. They'd have to connect to proprietary software to specialized servers, making anonymity and untraceability that plus harder. Downloading the bulky software needed to run these "massively multiplayer" games would add even more electronic breadcrumbs. Plus, game administrators regularly monitor what players are doing online.

Given how well they already use anonymous web sites, discussion forums, and instant messaging chat rooms, what would terrorist gain from Second Life or World of Warcraft that they don't have already? Here are a few ideas, which unlike the news story linked above, are not meant to be taken seriously:

• World of Warcraft guilds teach the value of cooperation. Why not form one and name it something like Jaish-e-Azeroth or The Orcish Fedayeen?
• On the other hand, disruptive, anti-social 10 year-olds can demonstrate techniques certain to disrupt any social order, even a fictional one populated by elves and dwarves.
• Taking a queue from Chinese entrepreneurs, terrorist organizations could raise money by selling magic weapons to other WoW players.
• Given the amount of flirtation, simulated sex, and billboard-sized porn in Second Life, jihadists could gird their loins against the temptations of Western culture through hours and hours of time online.

At least now, I have a better idea why this TSA employee is playing WoW.

Comments

[ajay]

Or... they could use MMORPGs to rehearse attacks? Are there a lot of IEDs turning up in Second Life these days?

[Kat-Missouri/USA]

Actually, I've seen a similar report before and they aren't just talking about "hooking up" with other jihadists, but the financial aspects that allows transfer of purchased items among the individuals that have a specific value and can be sold for money that can then be transferred to a local account (wherever that is).

But, I'd agree with you, it would be a good place to look. ON the other hand, if there are a lot of financial transactions that could reasonably transfer significant amounts of money to support terrorist activities, then I suppose we might want to stop that.

Just a thought.

[Chalkdust]

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