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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Dark Secrets"
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READER SCRIPT
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WATCHING THE WEB; KEEPING TABS ON TERROR... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THE SPEED, REACH, AND RELATIVE ANONYMITY OF THE INTERNET--THE SAME QUALITIES THAT MAKE IT A WONDERFUL INSTRUMENT FOR US, ALSO MAKE IT A USEFUL TOOL FOR TERRORISTS. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED FIVE-THOUSAND OR MORE WEBSITES OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BY KNOWN TERRORIST GROUPS--MANY, HIDDEN BEHIND INNOCENT-LOOKING COVERS. IT'S KIND OF THE WEB'S DARK SIDE. THERE'S A PROJECT OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA THAT'S TAKING THE DINGY EXITS, AND WALKING THE SLEAZY BACK-ALLEYS, OF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY. IT'S CALLED "DARK WEB". IT SEEKS OUT, ANALYZES, AND ORGANIZES TERRORIST INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ON THE INTERNET. THE "DARK WEB" PROJECT HAS SOME VERY COOL TOOLS. ONE TECHNIQUE, CALLED "WRITE-PRINT", CAN, WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY, RECOGNIZE THE WRITINGS OF AN "ANONYMOUS" POST, AND MATCH THEM WITH OTHER WRITINGS ON THE WEB--IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH PATTERNS, AND GET INFORMATION. "DARK WEB" USES WEB SPIDERS TO CRAWL DEEP INTO RADICAL DISCUSSION THREADS, AND OTHER DARK CORNERS OF THE WEB. THE "DARK WEB" PROJECT--IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTION, COLLECTION, AND DETECTION. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
