Gaming Chats New Tool For Terror Communication: Officials

Online war games akin to PUBG requiring chats with partners anonymous or otherwise have emerged as a key communication channel for terror groups and Pakistan's ISI to convey messages to their recruits in Jammu and Kashmir, officials here said.

- Press Trust Of India

As terror groups operating across the border seek to bypass social media and conventional channels of communication and escape scrutiny by security agencies, it is a virtual battleground and in some cases a real one too. Four cases have been identified, the officials said.

In one case, an underage boy was being radicalised by his gaming partner sitting across the border. The boy was handed over to parents after proper counselling of the entire family.

The gaming chat applications allow players to communicate with each other in real time in the guise of playing online games, the officials explained without going into details of which game and how.

These applications, which facilitate voice, video, and text-based communication to enhance teamwork, strategy discussions and social interaction among players, are being used for different purposes, they said.

The prospective recruits are identified during playing.