Tamale, June 27, – Dr Arnold Mashud Abukari, an information security expert and author, has warned that digital platforms are increasingly being exploited by extremist groups to radicalise and recruit vulnerable young people, posing significant risks to national security and social cohesion.
He said many internet users unknowingly exposed their frustrations, beliefs and distrust of institutions through their online activities, creating digital footprints that extremist groups monitor to identify and manipulate potential recruits.
Dr Abukari gave the warning at a post-book launch public lecture held at the ICT Auditorium of Tamale Technical University under the theme: “Clicks, Contents and Consequences: How Digital Platforms Enable Radicalism and Youth Exploitation in Ghana.”
The programme was organised by the Africa Research Center for Information Security (ARCIS) in collaboration with Tamale Technical University and featured discussions on his newly launched book, The Digital Radicalism.
Dr Abukari said misinformation and disinformation remained among the world’s most pressing short-term risks because of their ability to fuel public distrust, deepen social divisions and weaken confidence in institutions.
He noted that while geo-economic confrontation currently ranked among the leading global risks, emerging threats such as cyber insecurity, artificial intelligence and climate-related events would increasingly shape the global security landscape over the coming years.
On artificial intelligence, he said the technology presented enormous opportunities for innovation and economic growth but was also disrupting labour markets.
He said about 55 per cent of jobs were expected to experience significant disruption as AI continued to evolve and urged governments and educational institutions to equip young people with relevant digital and technological skills to remain competitive.
Dr Abukari said extremist groups carefully analysed social media activities and online engagements to identify vulnerable individuals before gradually influencing them with misinformation, false promises and radical ideologies.
He called on policymakers, educational institutions, the media, technology companies and civil society organisations to strengthen public education on digital safety and online radicalisation.
He also encouraged young people to develop a strong reading culture, improve their digital literacy and share knowledge acquired from such engagements with their families and communities.
Dr Abukari further recommended that public awareness campaigns on digital security should be translated into local languages and disseminated through both traditional and digital media to reach wider audiences.
As part of the event, Dr Abukari announced a scholarship scheme for five financially disadvantaged students of Tamale Technical University.
Under the initiative, two beneficiaries would be selected from the Computer Science Department, two from the Marketing Department and one from any other department. Three of the beneficiaries would be female students while two would be male students.
The announcement was welcomed by participants, who described it as a practical contribution towards supporting access to higher education while promoting youth empowerment.
The public lecture attracted students, lecturers, information technology professionals and members of the public, who participated in discussions on the growing impact of digital technologies on security, governance and society.
Source:Tahiru Shawal-Deen