ISIS sells itself as the inevitable, God-backed victor in its war against virtually all of the Middle East. ISIS's propaganda strategy has one huge weakness: It depends on the real-life perception that the group is winning. To beat ISIS's propaganda, you have to beat ISISĪ young fighter featured in an ISIS recruiting video. The videos often claim to show the range of medical and social services available to people living under ISIS rule (which don't seem to actually exist).

The group also sells itself as a real government. Combat footage shows ISIS triumphs, credited to the will of God. There's a real plot to them, a story designed to exonerate the group's barbarism and paint its enemies as the real evil. The videos are often in English and other languages, making the goal of appealing to international audiences very clear.Ī foreign fighter from France delivers a recruiting message. ISIS, by contrast, employs a range of sophisticated camera and editing techniques as well as animation and effects unparalleled among violent Islamists. ISIS videos are markedly different from the earlier al-Qaeda productions, which were often low-action, single-cut videos, shot in a cave with no music. It's about something more: a sense of political grievance on the part of the recruits, sure, but also a life of romantic adventure in a holy war.

Some fighters come from places like Tunisia and Morocco, where youth unemployment is sky high - but they come from enough different countries from around the world that we can say, with confidence, that radicalization isn't just about either proximity to ISIS or poverty. ISIS videos appeal to young people - mostly young men - who feel like their lives lack a sense of purpose or direction.

Isis videos