Signs and Objectives of Terrorism in the Global Information Space

The purpose of this study was to study the attractiveness of the global information space for terrorist purposes and ways to counteract their criminal goals.

The process of developing the digital space and its integration into various areas of human activity is complicated by the spread of illegal actions in cyberspace, which can be expressed in various forms, including the most large-scale and dangerous, which include terrorism and extremism. In addition, the increased development of the virtual format of interaction causes not only the intensive development of criminal forms and subcultures, but also the promotion of illegal lifestyle, the involvement of young people in illegal actions, as well as an increase in the number of cybercrimes. In many ways, it is unrestricted access to the Internet that provides increased risks for minors, expressed in a collision with the above-mentioned dangers. During a socially unstable situation, extremist activity intensifies, such communities create new groups, including with the help of social networks, in order to maintain social tension and disseminate extremist information on a large scale. A striking example is the coronavirus pandemic, when an unstable situation was created in the world, which led to the aggravation of a number of political conflicts and an increased level of public distrust of the authorities, since the latter's restrictive actions caused a negative reaction.

All of the above points to the high need for the formation of a special environment for young people, in which they will be able to adapt to the information environment, learn to work independently in it and critically evaluate the information that is offered for study in various sources. It follows from this that information literacy for the younger generation is one of the key properties that determine the effectiveness of countering terrorist and extremist ideologies in the virtual space. In addition, educational and educational methods are important, which perform the function of prevention and reduce the risk of spreading terrorist and extremist ideas in society.