Terror groups shift from sermons to screens in a decade of digital radicalization

Al-Qaeda and its affiliates have long exploited social, economic, and psychological crises, turning vulnerable individuals into tools for their ideological and military agendas, experts say.

Over time, the group has evolved from traditional propaganda to sophisticated digital manipulation.

Advances in technology and social media have transformed al-Qaeda’s methods, said Asif Taheri, a regional security expert based in Ankara.

"Ten years ago, al-Qaeda relied on long videos, leaders’ speeches, and ideological magazines for recruitment and propaganda, focusing mainly on religious messages and direct calls to jihad, but today, its tactics have changed," he said.

"By using social media and short, emotional content, it has replaced dry slogans with local, social, and emotional narratives," he told Salaam Times.

Taheri said that in recent years, al-Qaeda has concentrated its propaganda efforts in regions like Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and parts of Syria -- areas weakened by poverty, insecurity, and mistrust between citizens and governments.

"These conditions provide fertile ground for attracting vulnerable individuals," he added.

He emphasized that al-Qaeda’s goal extends beyond recruitment. It seeks to maintain psychological control over its audience, adapting its narratives to different cultural contexts.

The terror network now publishes materials in multiple languages spoken across Africa, South Asia, and Europe to make its message feel personal and relevant.

The group employs a calculated, three-stage model to identify and recruit human targets, said Shoaib Rahmani, a counter-terrorism analyst based in the Netherlands.

"First, the group identifies vulnerable users through public information. Then, using soft ideological messages and emotional connections, it draws them in. In the third stage, the individual is given a commitment or mission," he said.

"At first, the group shares religious messages to build trust and empathy, then gradually shapes the individual’s mind with extremist ideology," Rahmani said.

"Once the person completes their mission or is no longer useful, they are easily discarded -- or even sacrificed," he added.

Digital battlefield

Muhammad Younus Tawfiq, a cybersecurity analyst based in Spain, said that in the digital age, al-Qaeda’s propaganda war has moved from battlefields to online platforms.

"Al-Qaeda uses algorithms, encrypted messaging platforms, and short, repetitive content to maintain its presence," he said. "Instead of direct slogans, it relies on gradual influence -- using motivational videos and messages that seem harmless at first."

The group now functions "as a psychological propaganda machine," Tawfiq said.

Rahmatullah Ayoubi, a sociologist in Islamabad, said that al-Qaeda has historically targeted those seeking belonging or purpose – especially in crisis-affected or migrant communities.

"Prisoners, young people, teenagers, and sometimes women and children are among the group’s main targets," he told Salaam Times.

"The recruitment process begins through empathy and emotional support, and then gradual mental conditioning follows," he told Salam Times.

The group tailors its messages to local injustices such as corruption and discrimination, said Ayoubi.