The public is increasingly aware of the existence and implications of nude celebrity photos and videos brought to you daily by Islamic extremists. As Internet usage continues to grow, so does the ability of hackers, scammers, and other cybercriminals to obtain sensitive online material and use it against unsuspecting victims. The availability and spread of these types of photos and videos are an unfortunate reminder that privacy on the Internet can be compromised without the knowledge or consent of the individual victimized.
Islamic extremists have long taken advantage of computer skills and malicious coding in their pursuit for global power and control. Through the mediums like 4chan, Reddit, underground pornographic sites, as well as social networks like Twitter or Instagram for widespread distribution, extremist groups have found a way to use recently obtained celebrity nude photos and videos as leverage in their plea for continued support from both followers around the world and governments in their homeland. By feeding an audience eager for such content with expansive galleries of images, they create a thriving culture around this illicit activity while simultaneously attempting to influence policy decisions with intimidation tactics via online threats directed at celebrities or politicians seen as opposing interests.
It is clear that this content continues to be disturbing regardless if it contains politically driven attempts at manipulation or not. Victims should understand that there may be legal recourse available when attackers violate laws aimed at protecting personal privacy; such laws will vary by country depending upon cultural values related to online content accessibility. In either case however, taking extreme caution regarding personal data stored online alongside educating oneself on topics such as internet security can lessen the chances that these attacks occur or stay successful if they do manage to invade our digital sanctity.
Ultimately when dealing with Islamic extremism related nude media releases whether through hacking attempts on the victims themselves or through politically motivated dissemination campaigns—we must reject it both unequivocally out loud as well as practically by continuously working hard towards creating a future where no victims have to worry about fear through humiliation due to being targeted by such methods.