In response to the treat posed to the U.S. by terrorist organizations like ISIS and al Qaeda, U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced legislation to examine how foreign terrorist organizations use the internet and other technology to recruit and radicalize members against the U.S.
Pfluger, the chair of the House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, also announced a hearing that would examine those same elements. His legislation, the “Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act, would require the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the U.S. and how organizations like ISIS and Al Qaeda use generative AI applications, as well as foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications like Telegram.
The hearing, “the Digital Battlefield: How Terrorists Use the Internet and Online Networks for Recruitment and Radicalization,” is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4.
“With a resurgence of emboldened terrorist organizations across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, emerging technology serves as a potent weapon in their arsenal. More than two decades after the September 11 terrorist attacks, foreign terrorist organizations now utilize cloud-based platforms, like Telegram or TikTok, as well as artificial intelligence in their efforts to radicalize, fundraise, and recruit on U.S. soil,” Pfluger said. “Tragically, the radicalization of Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who took 14 innocent lives in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, illustrated the deadly impact of terrorist propaganda. As a former fighter pilot who fought against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, bolstering our nation’s security posture remains my top priority––and I know it’s a top priority for Texans.”