Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg are the new targets of ISIS. The Islamic State has revealed a new 25-minute video in which Dorsey’s and Zuckerberg’s are seen riddled with mock bullet holes. In January, executives from both social media firms met with senior White House officials over ways to control terrorism online.
Threats to Twitter CEO – nothing new
ISIS has been fighting back as Twitter and Facebook made efforts to block terrorist content on their platforms.
In the latest video, the overwritten text says, “If you close one account we will take [sic] 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.”
Further, the video claims that the terrorist group has over 5,000 Twitter profiles, 10,000 Facebook accounts, and 150 Facebook groups.
In a statement, a Twitter spokesperson said the company will not respond to this video as such threats have become quite common.
“It just happens all the time,” the spokesperson said. “Welcome to our everyday life.”
The executive declined to comment on the number of threats the micro-blogging firm has received.
In March 2015, ISIS specifically issued a statement against Dorsey, saying, “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.”
The post included an image of Dorsey’s face crossed with bullets.
“But when our lions [brave men] come and take your breath, you will never come back to life,” the post warned.
Limiting terrorists’ reach
The video makes it clear that Twitter is being targeted for blocking ISIS related accounts.
“You announce daily that you suspend many of our accounts,” the text reads. “And to you we say: Is that all you can do? You are not in our league.”
According to a recent report from the University of Washington, Twitter closed around 125,000 ISIS-related accounts. Such a move from the micro-blogging firm had a major impact in limiting the reach of terrorists online. Though new ISIS accounts pop up, it does takes some time to gather followers.
Likewise, Facebook is working in its own way to combat terrorism on its platform. COO Sheryl Sandberg even suggested the idea of using “a ‘like’ attack” in the fight against ISIS.
