Mass media and the Internet have emerged as enablers for terrorist planning, facilitation, and communication. The Internet allows terrorists to operate without the confines of borders and increases the potential impact on victims. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of American terrorist experts on how terrorists' Internet use has shaped international terrorism. Stepanova's asymmetric conflict theory served as the theoretical framework of this study. Specifically, this study explored terrorists' Internet-based recruitment strategies, the ways in which those recruitment efforts were supported in the United States, the measures to counter such recruitment efforts, and the future direction of terrorist recruitment in the 21st century. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 American terrorist experts. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. Findings indicated that terrorists' Internet use has resulted in challenges for counterterrorism agencies in the United States and abroad due to the ability of terrorists to easily close, change, and create new websites or accounts. These findings may inform the work of domestic and international counterterrorism entities in creating policy objectives that address the fluid nature of Internet recruitment, including proactive and coordinated responses by member states. This action may improve the United States' security through more effective recognition and response to terrorist Internet tactics.

Shifts in culture and technology have changed the manifestation of celebrity in modern society, culminating in the practice of internet microcelebrity, where one views followers as fans, produces content consistent with a personal brand, and engages in strategic interaction with devotees. This thesis examines how those effects have also changed how terrorists present themselves and operationalize celebrity status. An original typology of terrorist celebrity is presented: traditional, martyr, and internet micro-celebrity. Two in-depth case studies of terrorist micro-celebrities are analyzed: Anwar al-Awlaki of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Junaid Hussain of the Islamic State. The case studies are examined through content analysis of social media postings, personal chat transcripts, as well as mainstream media coverage of the individuals used to reconstruct their biographies. Following mainstream trends, these terrorist internet celebrities have built personal brands that target specific communities. Awlaki targeted English-speaking Muslims living in the West and IS foreign fighters like Hussain often target young people in the fighter’s countries of origin. Their online personas are created to be relatable and engaging to those specific audiences. Ultimately, mainstream celebrity trends have bled into terrorist behavior. By creating brands and managing them through micro-celebrity practices, terrorists have effectively weaponized online celebrity, using it for recruitment and planning.