From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Social media, a marketing tool for extremism.

Hello again, I'm Aron Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The video of reporter James Foley's beheading is the latest evidence that the ultra-extream

Islamic State has mastered social media. High-quality propaganda well-designed for intended audiences

went viral, matching the most sophisticated campaigns of multinational corporations.

Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube will be hard-pressed to block such messages in the future,

however grotesque they might be.

We'll look at the impact of this technological expertise, how it serves the Islamic State,

and how it might be combated.

Today's talking point, we'll talk with a New York Times reporter expelled from Afghanistan as a spy.

First, the news.

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Hello again, Warren Alney back with To the Point.

Osama bin Laden used grainy videos and

scratchy audio tape to address the world from inside a mountain cave. The Islamic State has mastered

social media to disseminate shocking propaganda, attracting instant attention worldwide. The

video of James Foley's execution is just one example. We'll hear what might be next.

...