Blog

By Mark Dechesne At a time when world news headlines are dominated by Covid-19, we must not forget that for the past decade, the nations of Europe have been plagued by another fast-spreading and often deadly epidemic: the circulation of socially corrosive, extremist language via social media. This type of social media communication has helped ...

By Robert Örell How do violent right-wing extremists exploit the online space? Violent right-wing extremists (VRWE) use the online space to spread their ideology and to reach vulnerable individuals to recruit online. The online platforms operated by extremist groups oftentimes help these vulnerable youngsters form new relations and build a new identity online. They report ...

By Sian Tomkinson, Katie Attwell and Tauel Harper In May 2020, a 17-year-old boy in Toronto was charged with an act of terrorism in the alleged killing of a woman with a machete – the first time such a charge has been brought in a case involving “incel” ideology. Also in May, a 20-year-old man ...

This article summarizes a recent study published in Deviant Behavior. By Ryan Scrivens, George W. Burruss, Thomas J. Holt, Steven Chermak, Joshua D. Freilich, and Richard Frank Research has overwhelmingly found that central offline events influence online activity and highlight an important interaction between people’s on- and offline worlds. Less, however, is known about the ...

By Michael Hartinger and Daniela Pisoiu Radicalisation and recruitment to violent extremism and terrorism occur in various ways and a myriad of rhetorical and visual elements have been used to that extent, increasingly online. Gamification and actual video games have recently increased in relevance, as Islamist and right-wing groups have recognised their potential for attracting ...

By Chamila Liyanage Far-right populist nationalism seems contagious. It’s the new normal and one can only wonder how it all started, as the rise of far-right populism appears to come out of nowhere. An average reader of the mainstream media would have long overlooked the discord sowed among the ordinary people in the grassroots. Far-right ...

By Alice Raven Young people remain identified as one of the most vulnerable groups at risk of online radicalisation in the UK, however using education institutions to engage with and build resilience amongst these groups remains a persistent challenge. Virtual reality as an alternative resource has been increasingly explored to help bridge the gap between ...

This blog post is an edited extract from the article Repeated and Extensive Exposure to Online Terrorist Content: Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit Perceived Stresses and Strategies, published in July 2020 in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. By Zoey Reeve There is increasing concern that exposure to online terrorist material may increase the risk of terrorist ...

This article is the second of a two-part series. It summarizes a recent study published in Terrorism and Political Violence. Part I is HERE. By Tiana Gaudette, Ryan Scrivens, and Vivek Venkatesh Last week on the Blog, we argued that, while a growing body of evidence suggests that the Internet is a key facilitator of ...

This article is the first of a two-part series. It summarizes a recent study published in Terrorism and Political Violence. Part II is HERE. By Tiana Gaudette, Ryan Scrivens, and Vivek Venkatesh In the past five years, it has become increasingly common for practitioners and policymakers in the western world to draw from the insights ...