• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

ISIS Has Launched A Mobile App—For Children

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 11, 2016, 9:27 AM ET
Militant Islamist fighters parade on military vehicles along the streets of northern Raqqa province
Militant Islamist fighters parade on military vehicles along the streets of northern Raqqa province June 30, 2014. Militant Islamist fighters held a parade in Syria's northern Raqqa province to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq, a monitoring service said. The Islamic State, an al Qaeda offshoot previously known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), posted pictures online on Sunday of people waving black flags from cars and holding guns in the air, the SITE monitoring service said. REUTERS/Stringer (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) FOR BEST QUALITY IMAGE ALSO SEE: GF2EA99110K01 - RTR3WJAIPhotograph by Stringer/Reuters

The Islamic State is well known for its technology savvy, and now it’s bringing it to a new group: children.

The Islamic State, or ISIS or ISIL, has developed a mobile application called Huroof that’s designed specifically to teach children the Arabic alphabet, according to the Long War Journal, a blog that reports on the “Global War on Terror.” The app was reportedly released by ISIS’s “Office of Zeal,” and will work on Android devices, though it isn’t available for download through the Google (GOOGL) Play marketplace.

The Long War Journal posted several images of the app, which is brightly colored and includes the look and feel one would expect from any child’s app. However, the report claims that the app is “littered with jihadist terminology,” teaches children words like “tank,” “gun,” and “rocket,” and even depicts images of weaponry around the app.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

This is by no means the first app developed by ISIS, but it’s the first to focus on children. In December, Ghost Security Group, a hacking collective, discovered that ISIS had been distributing an application that offered propaganda-laced news and videos. That app was also running on Android and includes graphic depictions of executions and battlefield victories, according to the hacking collective.

Indeed, ISIS, one of the most prominent militant groups in the world, has used technology to great effect. The company has used social media to spread propaganda, encrypted messaging apps, like Telegram, to communicate, and launched many websites. Hackers, including the collective Anonymous, have launched campaigns against ISIS that they claim, have removed thousands of social media accounts and taken down countless websites.

ISIS’s use of technology has helped it attract more militants around the world. With its latest mobile app, ISIS is apparently now trying to get young children invested in its mission long before they’ve grown to adulthood.

For more about ISIS, watch:

According to The Guardian, which earlier reported on the app, the Office of Zeal issued a press release promoting the app on Tuesday. The press release included screenshots to the app, as well as a link to download the program from file-sharing websites. The press release says that the app “teaches the cubs the alphabet letters,” according to The Guardian. ISIS uses the term “cubs” for children and “lions” for its adult militants.

The app comes after ISIS has released a slew of videos of the last several months showing its “cubs” engaging in militant behavior, including beheadings, according to the Long War Journal.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

AIBig Data
This land data startup is buying GPUs so tech giants and real estate developers can find property for data centers
By Jessica MathewsMarch 11, 2026
1 hour ago
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
Why Levi’s turned a hackathon idea into an AI tool for store employees to make denim shopping easier
By John KellMarch 11, 2026
2 hours ago
electrical engineer
SuccessCareers
BlackRock is splashing $100 million on training plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians as its CEO flags a skilled trade worker shortage
By Preston ForeMarch 11, 2026
3 hours ago
Apple CEO Tim Cook
SuccessCareers
Apple CEO Tim Cook says his late predecessor Steve Jobs gave him this unusual advice when he handed over the reins: ‘Never ask what I would do’
By Emma BurleighMarch 11, 2026
3 hours ago
data centers
PoliticsData centers
Virginia’s starting to question whether its giant tax breaks for data centers are such a good idea
By Olivia Diaz, Marc Levy and The Associated PressMarch 11, 2026
4 hours ago
moltbook
AISocial Media
Meta transformed social networking for humans, now it’s acquiring Moltbook, the chatroom for chatbots
By The Associated PressMarch 11, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
'This cannot be sustainable': The U.S. borrowed $50 billion a week for the past five months, the CBO says
By Eleanor PringleMarch 10, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary doesn't care if you work from your basement. He just wants to know if you can ‘execute’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMarch 10, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Big tech has defeated everything for 30 years, but for the first time faces something it can't control: a jury
By Carolina Rossini and The ConversationMarch 10, 2026
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Real Estate
Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision
By Sydney LakeMarch 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Washington state wants to keep employers from microchipping workers, before anyone even gets the idea
By Catherina GioinoMarch 10, 2026
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump's immigration crackdown is backfiring by hurting the U.S.-born workers it was meant to help, data shows
By Sasha RogelbergMarch 10, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.