Project

Laughing at ISIS

While it's no secret that ISIS uses slick video and imagery to attract and inspire a young generation of terrorists worldwide, it's also obvious that there is little to no effective counter-messaging to combat their online influence. But a former intelligence analyst and comedy troupe in India hope to change that trend by making entertaining videos that mock ISIS and other terror groups.

By engaging a younger audience using social media and comedy skits, the East India Comedy group thinks they can be the voice of a generation that convinces the youth that supporting ISIS is, well... laughable. The novel approach is supported by the U.S. government.

In this project journalist Wes Bruer looks at a State Department-funded pilot program that supports the production of viral comedy videos that lampoon the lives of ISIS terrorists in an attempt to curb the online influence and recruitment efforts of young Muslims around the world.

"I Want to Quit ISIS"

It's no secret that ISIS uses slick video to attract and inspire a young generation of terrorists, but a comedy troupe in India hopes to change that by lampooning the group in viral videos.

India: Laughing at ISIS to Defeat Them

It's no secret that ISIS uses slick video to attract and inspire a young generation of terrorists, but a comedy troupe in India hopes to change that by lampooning the group in viral videos.

Meet the Journalist: Wes Bruer

A freelance journalist based in Brooklyn, Wes Bruer received a Pulitzer Center grant to pursue a story of a unique counterterrorism program being implemented by the U.S. State Dept in Mumbai, India.