Use of mass media by the Islamic State

In November 2006, shortly after the group's rebranding as the "Islamic State of Iraq", it established the Al-Furqan Foundation for Media Production, which produces CDs, DVDs, posters, pamphlets, and web-related propaganda products and official statements.[7] It began to expand its media presence in 2013, with the formation of a second media wing, Al-I'tisam Media Foundation, in March[8][9] and the Ajnad Foundation for Media Production, established in January 2014, which specialises in acoustics production for nasheeds and quranic recitation. [10][11] On 4 May 2016 Al-Bitar Foundation launched an application on Android called "Ajnad" that allows its users to listen to the songs of the Ajnad Foundation on their mobile phones.[12] The foundation has many singers, the most famous of whom are Abu Yasir and Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir.[13]

In mid-2014, ISIL established the Al Hayat Media Center, which targets Western audiences and produces material in English, German, Russian and French.[14] When ISIL announced its expansion to other countries in November 2014 it established media departments for the new branches, and its media apparatus ensured that the new branches follow the same models it uses in Iraq and Syria.[15] Then FBI Director James Comey said that ISIL's "propaganda is unusually slick," noting that, "They are broadcasting... in something like 23 languages".[16]

In July 2014, al-Hayat began publishing a digital magazine called Dabiq, in a number of different languages including English.[17] According to the magazine, its name is taken from the town of Dabiq in northern Syria, which is mentioned in a hadith about Armageddon.[18] Al-Hayat also began publishing other digital magazines, including the Turkish language Konstantiniyye, the Ottoman word for Istanbul,[19] and the French language Dar al-Islam.[20] By late 2016, these magazines had apparently all been discontinued, with Al-Hayat's material being consolidated into a new magazine called Rumiyah (Arabic for Rome).[21]

The group also runs a radio network called Al-Bayan, which airs bulletins in Arabic, Russian and English and provides coverage of its activities in Iraq, Syria and Libya.[22] Huroof is an app created by the Office of Zeal, an Islamic State controlled agency,[23] in order to teach kids Arabic, and to recruit young children into becoming Islamic State soldiers.[24]

al-Azaim Foundation for Media Production, run by Islamic State in Khorasan Province, publishes Voice of Khorasan magazine, which covers political and religious topics and also attempts to recruit and incite followers to carry out attacks (anti-Taliban narratives).[25][26] Islamic State in Hind Province (Hind Wilayah) publishes Voice of Hind magazine, propaganda which encourages Indian Muslims to be recruited and wage jihad, and carry out attacks in the country.[27] It was first published in 2020, and it also supports global warfare against Taliban in Afghanistan.[28]

I'lam Foundation, announced in 2018, is an online multilingual platform mostly used by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, specifically the Tajikistan region of the organization,[29] and the ISKP.[25] On May 2021 it launched al-Hijrateyn, a weekly podcast which presents news, statistics and commentary from the Al-Naba newsletter, it focuses on solutions to moral dilemmas as interpreted by the Islamic State.[30][31]

IS's use of social media has been described by one expert as "probably more sophisticated than [that of] most US companies".[1][37] It regularly uses social media, particularly Twitter, to distribute its messages.[37][38] The group uses the encrypted instant messaging service Telegram to disseminate images, videos and updates.[39]

The group is known for releasing videos and photographs of executions of prisoners, whether beheadings, bombings, shootings, caged prisoners being burnt alive or submerged gradually until drowned.[40] Journalist Abdel Bari Atwan described IS's media content as part of a "systematically applied policy". The escalating violence of its killings "guarantees" the attention of the media and public.[41]

Along with images of brutality, IS presents itself as "an emotionally attractive place where people 'belong', where everyone is a 'brother' or 'sister'". The "most potent psychological pitch" of IS media is the promise of heavenly reward to dead jihadist fighters. Frequently posted in their media are dead jihadists' smiling faces, the IS 'salute' of a 'right-hand index finger pointing heavenward', and testimonies of happy widows.[41] IS has also attempted to present a more "rational argument" in a series of videos hosted by the kidnapped journalist John Cantlie. In one video, various current and former US officials were quoted, such as the then US President Barack Obama and former CIA Officer Michael Scheuer.[42]

It has encouraged sympathisers to initiate vehicle-ramming and attacks worldwide.[43]