Intelligence analysis in social media

Book excerpt: The global security environment, dominated and dependent on information and communication technology, generates an accumulation of disruptive factors for society. This volume, in direct accordance with technological developments that have facilitated information avalanche and (anonymous) communication, has required interdisciplinary research in areas such as: psychology, sociology, computer science, social media communication and legislation. The research aims to establish whether social media platforms, through the actions they facilitate, can pose risks and threats to national security and to identify premises in order to stimulate strategies that should be followed to avoid transforming various forms of online communication into a potentiating and generating factor of crime, radical or extremist opinions, mass manipulation, etc. At the same time, the research offers an alternative vision on approaching the concept of intelligence in the context of the development of social media networks (SocMInt) and promotes ways to improve and streamline how to achieve objectives that can be successfully applied, including in business intelligence. In this regard, a case study is conducted on the effects of CoVid-19 pandemic (SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus) from the perspective of law enforcement agencies. Although the individually exploitation of SocMInt does not provide a comprehensive answer, it must be used in the initial stages of decision-making and effort-making, due to the low costs compared to other Int disciplines. The volume does not present a solution to current problems, but through its didactic, documentary and informative nature it offers professional support at high standards to analysts and managers in decision making.