"We are going to keep doing this. We are going to take down their accounts. We are going to let them know we are there," he said. Eventually the militants and their supporters "will be scared to talk to people on other accounts, because right now they don't know who is who. They don't know which account I am going to pop in."
The terrorist group that is primarily based in Iraq and Syria has used social media as a potent propaganda tool aimed at spreading its radical message far beyond the borders of the terror caliphate, as well as recruiting fighters and inspiring lone-wolf attacks. It follows then that one of components of a comprehensive anti-Daesh strategy has to contain efforts at limiting the group's Internet presence.
Please take a moment & pray for the Families & Victims of the #Orlando Attack. #OpDaesh #Anonymous #GhostOfNoNation pic.twitter.com/zZLLDlKwvE
— WauchulaGhost (@WauchulaGhost) 12 июня 2016 г.
This is what the Ghost is doing. The hacker, who did not disclose his real name or location, shot to prominence by tacking over Daesh accounts on Twitter and changing Islamist messages to pornography to offend jihadists and make fun of them. Following the massacre at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 50 people dead, he started posting gay pride content.
Twitter, Facebook and other social media "need to step up"
The hacktivist has been critical of leading social media platforms for not doing enough to track and delete Daesh accounts.
"Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and the rest of them need to step up. They need to do something about it," he lamented. "Sure, Twitter said that they suspended 125,000 accounts. Well they did not suspend anything. All the people reporting those accounts are the ones who got them suspended. Twitter just hit the button."
Social media's apparent unwillingness to bring real change is what prompted the Ghost and others to take matters into their own hands in the first place.
"We sat and watched Twitter and other social media not really do what they could to remove this content. So we took it upon ourselves to do what we can to try to get it off," he explained.
Should social media companies hear these calls and deliver, the Ghost will unlikely retire. Instead, Twitter, Facebook and other platforms could use the expertise and work together with hackers to tackle Daesh on the internet.
But until this time comes, the Ghost is ready to continue #OpISIS without their help and he has made sure that Daesh knows about it.
"We are making our presence known to [Daesh]. They know we are there now. Most of them know me by name, they know of the Ghost. When I get in an account, I message them just to mess with them. And it's quite funny to see their response," he said.
The Ghost refused to describe the process of hacking into Daesh-affiliated accounts, but added that although it is "at times difficult," for the most part "it's pretty easy." He also doubts that those who help the terrorist group spread its message of hate on social media will improve security of their accounts.
"I don't think they are that smart. I haven't seen anything that points in that direction," the hacker noted.
