Terrorist attacks have intensified in the last few years resulting in loss of life, extensive material damage and a sense of fear and insecurity among citizens. Terrorist groups use the possibilities provided by new technologies to spread propaganda and create recruitment networks in different countries.

Organized groups make use of new technologies, especially the Internet and social networks to find like-minded people and radicalize them. Thankfully, it is precisely this online trail that allows authorities to obtain data about potentially radicalized online profiles and to stop a terrorist attack from occurring.

However, authorities need mechanisms that are going to increase the accuracy of the data they collect. For this reason, our Research Group is working in collaboration with the company Sistem Security Check, on a comprehensive tool for the detection of online terrorist propaganda. TWINPICS is based on social computing and sentiment analysis for the detection of duplicated profiles used for terrorist propaganda and other criminal purposes.

The tool leverages natural language methods and network typology on platforms such as Twitter or Telegram, for the detection of duplicated profiles and prediction of radicalization processes, mainly based on the content published by terrorists or other criminal groups.

We are working in collaboration with Sistem Security, on the in-depth evaluation and analysis of the problem, as well as its ramifications.

Our objective is to develop data capture systems. However, the development of this type of intelligent systems requires a comprehensive study of the problem using recent data and existing knowledge. Currently, the project finds itself in a phase that is key to its development.

I’m sure this project will be of great benefit to the society.