The Internet provides many communications advantages historically only enjoyed by nation-states or large corporations to any group willing to take advantage of them. These tools can provide global text, voice, and video communications (one to one, one to many, and many to many) in a secure (military grade encryption and peer to peer connections) environment.
An example of an advanced version of this is a PKK (a Kurdish Guerrilla group) commander's seminar on Paltalk -- software that provides voice and video chat rooms. The open nature of this seminar demonstrates a growing trend in guerrilla communications: transparency. Guerrillas increasingly understand that it is non-productive for secrecy in most communications and coordination efforts -- as demonstrated by recent media enabled communications between Zarqawi and bin Laden. Here's why:
- Open communications is a PR event. It demonstrates that the group is active. Visibility can also translate into funding.
- Totally secure communications that prevents nation-state eavesdropping is impossible. Security, to the extent there is any, is best achieved through openness since it masks the recipients.
- It provides the opportunity to reach as many active participants, hangers on, and passive supporters as possible. It can energize a community.
- It's a chance to influence adjacent groups. This is part of the open source warfare model. Adjacent guerrilla groups are increasingly seen as an asset. Their activities provide a shield against detection (it divides counter-insurgency forces), amplify the core group's efforts (through similar attacks), and can feedback innovation (on how to accomplish activities successfully).