TERROR AND NEW MEDIA

Abstract

Terror is not an ordinary act of violance. The ultimate goal of terrorists is to become popular and to announce their ideology by fueling terror, panic and fear. At this point, the terror's dependency on and need for media is clear. As for media, because of its public accountability, it is responsible for transmitting news, information and thoughts. This symbiotic relationship between media and terrorism has been debated since the occurrence of mass media; several solutions have been proposed regarding how and at what rate the terror news should be published in media. Today, the necessity for media's sensitivity to the journalism of terror and its responsibility has been increased. Hence, the information gap opened in traditional media is loaded most of the time with news, information and content shared by terrorist organizations' media channels and terrorists or sympathizers, in an uncontrolled area -new media-. Along with the relationship between terror and media, with the structure of feeding each other, it is observed that the terrorist organizations take advantage of new media and modern communication technologies professionally. Herein, journalism of terror has to be carried out in a professional way by abstaining from publication bans and modern concept of terrorism in question has to be head off via new media with safeguards. At this point, government's efficient use of new media in counter-terrorism and user education of critical new media literacy is important.