Blog

By Moses Ameh The public comment on violence in Nigeria has been observed to change from a normal state to a polarized virtual environment within a short time on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and WhatsApp. These exchanges tend to be sparked by a statement or interpretation of insecurity-related incidents, and quickly ...

From June 16-18, the Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC) at Swansea University, in proud partnership with VOX-Pol, hosted the fifth in-person Terrorism and Social Media (TASM) Conference. As one of the premier international forums addressing the intersection of digital technology and violent extremism, this year’s event drew 293 registered delegates representing 30 countries across the ...

Swansea University recently served as the vibrant hub for the ninth annual VOX-Pol Summer School, held from June 22nd to 26th. Over five intensive days, the event brought together a dynamic group of 23 researchers, analysts, and decision-makers for a comprehensive masterclass designed to tackle the complex, rapidly evolving landscape of violent online extremism. This ...

By Sarah Stevenson & Dr Steven Barracosa At risk and radicalised youth represent one of the most complex and consequential challenges facing contemporary CVE practice given the intersection of adolescent vulnerability, search for belonging, identity formation and exposure to extreme material and polarising online environments. The role and impact of family systems and dynamics have ...

Welcome to Volume 13, Issue 7 of the monthly VOX-Pol Newsletter TASM 2026 VOX-Pol was proud to co-host the fifth in-person TASM Conference, held at Swansea University on 16-18 June. There were a total of 293 registered delegates, from 30 countries around the world. As well as keynote presentations from VOX-Pol member Professor Paul Gill ...

Anat Lior, Drexel University On Feb. 10, 2026, an 18-year-old woman, Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed eight people and herself in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. OpenAI had previously flagged her ChatGPT conversations as having a disturbing fascination with extreme violence, and suspended her account, but reportedly the company did not notify law ...

By Mischa Gerrard When footage of a knife attack in north Belfast began circulating online, the incident quickly escaped the confines of the street on which it had occurred. Within hours, it was being shared and debated across X, amplified by activists, influencers, and political commentators both within and beyond Northern Ireland. Demonstrations were organised, ...

By Krista Fisher, Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Emily Lewis, Ruben Benakovic, and Zac Seidler Interest in the manosphere has recently surged yet again, with the recent Louis Theroux documentary catapulting the term “manosphere” back to the forefront of our cultural psyche. The term has become a catchall for the most inflammatory content and communities in young men’s ...

VOX-Pol is delighted to announce the upcoming publication of The Routledge Handbook of Online Violent Extremism, produced in proud partnership with our network. Scheduled for release in September 2026, this landmark volume represents a major milestone in the study of digital threats and responses. This handbook stands as the first comprehensive reference work to offer ...

By Saddiq Basha The re-enactment of real-world mass casualty attacks on Roblox has become a recognised phenomenon within the True Crime Community (TCC)—a multi-layered online fandom that valorises perpetrators of mass violence regardless of ideology, ranging from those who consume and discuss such content to those who, at the extreme, seek to emulate them. Such ...