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 globe, sparking vital, cross-sector dialogue among researchers, tech industry leaders, policymakers, and civil society.
Over three highly collaborative days, the conference tackled the rapidly evolving challenges of extremist and terrorist exploitation of online platforms. The first two days explored critical areas such as emerging web technologies, extremist gaming communities, digital culture, and the development of AI-driven tools for countering violent extremism (P/CVE). The third day added an interactive dimension, offering hands-on, stakeholder-led workshops and the collaborative “TASM sandpit,” where interdisciplinary teams designed rapid-response project proposals to address real-world online harms.
Groundbreaking Keynotes: Bridging Academia and Action
The conference was anchored by two world-class keynote addresses that illustrated the power of merging rigorous research with practical intervention:
- Professor Paul Gill (UCL): As a distinguished VOX-Pol member, Professor Gill delivered an insightful address centering on the behavioral and systemic pathways of radicalization online. His talk emphasized the need for evidence-based interventions that understand the human element behind the digital footprint.
- Vidhya Ramalingam (Moonshot): The founder and CEO of Moonshot offered a powerful practitioner’s perspective. Ramalingam shared frontline insights on how data-driven, direct-engagement campaigns can successfully disrupt extremist journeys online, illustrating how proactive, ethical tech interventions can scale up to meet global challenges.
Catch Up on Demand
For those who were unable to join us in Swansea, or for attendees looking to relive the discussions, a select curation of recorded sessions, keynotes, and highlights is now publicly available. You can watch these recordings directly on the CYTREC YouTube page. Thank you to all our co-hosts, speakers, and delegates for making the 5th in-person TASM Conference a resounding success. The ideas and partnerships forged over these three days will undoubtedly shape the next generation of research and policy in the digital space.