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OPINION NOVEMBER 25, 2022 | The Indian Eye 10

Technology and Terrorism: What are

the Challenges and the Way Forward?

India has committed to work on three major areas highlighted in the Delhi Declaration. These include Countering
Terrorist Exploitation of ICT and Emerging Technologies; Threats and opportunities related to new payment

technologies and fundraising methods; and Threats posed by the misuse of unmanned aerial systems (UAS)

SANUR SHARMA

echnology is used as a tool for
advancements in society and
Tas a means for development.
However, due to the ease of avail-
ability of new and emerging technol-
ogies at lower costs, it is increasingly
being leveraged by non-state actors
and terrorists. Cyber harassment,
virtual warfare, information warfare,
cyberattack, and cyber break-ins are
all terms used to describe malicious
activities caused by the use of com-
puters or related technologies like
Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine
learning and blockchain. Non-state
actors have disabled critical infra-
structures by using cyber-attacks,
drones and have also secured terror
financing through virtual assets like
crypto-currency.
Against this backdrop, India Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj speaks at the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTC)
hosted the special meeting of the Emerging Tech special meeting in October as Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) Acting Executive Director Weixiong Chen looks on (ANI)
United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Com- currently serving the two-year Secu- vocated that member states should news, through disinformation signal
mittee (CTC) with the theme ‘Coun- rity Council term, the meeting was increase funding for UN organs like generators and automatic genera-
tering the Use of New and Emerging organized in India. Indian Ambas- United Nations Office of Counter tion of social media accounts. Even
Technology for Terrorist Purposes’. sador to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, Terrorism (UNOCT). India will con- countries have employed advanced
The CTC unanimously adopted chaired the UNSC-CTC. She noted tribute US$ 0.5 million to the UN cyberwarfare operations that use
the Delhi Declaration on 29 Octo- that while technology had limitless Trust Fund for Counter Terrorism to AI to impede weapon systems and
ber 2022. The Declaration called potential and innovations have al- augment its efforts in providing ca- shut down critical infrastructures, as
for urgent action to counter the tered society, it has also led to vari- pacity-building support to member seen in the Russia–Ukraine conflict
threat posed by the use of new and ous challenges, including the spread states in preventing and countering Covid-19 pandemic-related misin-
emerging technologies for terrorist of political unrest and social upheav- the threat of terrorism. formation spread worldwide through
purposes and effective implemen- al. Social media is being used to tar- India also committed to work social media platforms.
tation of various UN resolutions. It get individuals through the spread of on three major areas highlighted in All such practices cause several
flagged concerns over increased use misinformation and disinformation, the Delhi Declaration. These include security concerns that must be ad-
of cyberspace and other Information while malicious use of AI, and dig- Countering Terrorist Exploitation of dressed. Proactive measures are re-
Communication Technologies (ICT), ital payment technologies are being ICT and Emerging Technologies; quired to counter malicious content
including social media. employed to fund terrorist organiza- Threats and opportunities related to online, while maintaining freedom of
It was the first meeting of the tions. new payment technologies and fund- expression and a secure, free, trust-
UNSC-CTC in India since its estab- External Affairs Minister S. raising methods; and Threats posed ed, open and interoperable internet.
lishment in 2001. The UNSC adopt- Jaishankar in his keynote address by the misuse of unmanned aerial Financial technologies like virtual
ed Resolution 1373, a counter-ter- emphasized that the internet and systems (UAS). assets can be vulnerable to abuse
rorism measure in the aftermath of social media have become tools of due to the absence of proper regu-
the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. The militants and terrorist organizations EMERGING CHALLENGES AND lations and governance measures.
objective of the CTC is to monitor for spreading propaganda, radical- KEY TAKEAWAYS For instance, new blockchain tech-
the implementation of Resolution ization and conspiracy theories for Social media use by inimical ac- nologies like bitcoin and other virtu-
1373. The committee comprises the destabilizing societies. He further tors has led to political polarization, al currencies are based on a decen-
15 UNSC members. flagged that the penetration of new post-truth politics and confirmation tralized network. Various non-state
Given that India is one of the ten technology is reshaping the contours bias. AI-enabled tools and software actors can transfer money through
non-permanent members and is also of international terrorism. He ad- have been widely used to create fake Continued at next page... >>

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