It looks like the battle between internet activist group Anonymous and the Islamic State just got real. Using an age-old internet meme, the activist group is initiating a "rickroll" attack against hashtags that support the Islamic State. Doing so redirects anyone attempting to access information about the terror to a music video of '80s pop star Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," according to The New York Daily News.
Thus, anyone looking to join the Islamic State through its prominent online presence, especially links in the #SupportISIS hastag, will instead have to content themselves with the sound of Astley's iconic baritone voice and the sight of the pop star's swaying hips.
Anonymous believes that by drowning out ISIS-related sites in a massive deluge of '80s synth-pop music, would-be terrorists would have a very hard time accessing genuine information about joining ISIS online. By doing so, the group aims to somewhat hinder the growth of the deadly terrorist group, reports The Daily Mail.
The Islamic State's strong online presence has been one of the primary reasons behind its rapid growth, with a strong social media strategy that allows it to communicate with sympathizers all over the world. Some of the group's supporters have even been known to leave their homes and families for the war-torn Middle East, after given instructions online on how to smuggle themselves over the Syrian and Iraqi border.
After declaring war on ISIS in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, Anonymous has said that it has already shut down 28,000 ISIS social media accounts.
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