Since its rapid expansion in 2014, ISIS continues to be one of the most mediatized phenomena of our time. ISIS has reached unprecedented levels of recruitment – no other organization in modern history has managed to recruit more fighters. Its professional and tactical use of media, propaganda and communications tools has far surpassed the strategies of other Jihadi movements.

Despite the military gains against ISIS on Iraqi soil since 2015, despite reports about declining numbers of Jihadis joining ISIS from abroad, despite hundreds of thousands of Twitter accounts having been closed and YouTube videos deleted, the organization has lost little of its appeal. Groups around the world are pledging their allegiance; chaos in countries like Libya and Yemen is providing new breeding grounds. Attacks carried out by individuals around the world are seen as “inspired” by ISIS ideology.