A draft report from the US Army warns that Twitter and other online tools could be used to plan terrorist attacks. This may seem farfetched at first but if you consider their example of a Google Maps mashup whereby Twitter is used to report on military activity and then locations plotted on a map then it all becomes more feasible.

Twitter can also be used to remotely control devices and it is feared that it may be used to detonate explosives in the same way mobile phones were used in the Madrid Train bombings in 2004. A more light hearted and slightly disturbing way Twitter has been used for remote control is shown in the video below.

How 2.0: Make a Twittering Teddy Bear from My Home 2.0 DIY on Vimeo.

There have been concerns over the use of VOIP (Voice Over IP) technologies such as Skype (reportedly one of the Taliban’s favoured communication channels) for a while now. It is more difficult for security agencies to intercept conversations as well as being easy to use voice changing software and caller ID spoofing.

A security stir seems to always be caused by new technology from mobile phones to the VOIP but security agencies just need to adapt at the same rate.