Lutter contre le « terrorisme » sur les réseaux sociaux : usages d’une catégorie politique dans les discours de Meta, Google et Twitter
September 17, 2024
Countering “terrorism” on social media: the use of a political category in the discourses of Meta, Google and Twitter La lucha contra el «terrorismo» en las redes sociales: el uso de un concepto político controvertido en las comunicaciones de Meta, Google y Twitter Depuis le début de la vague d’attentats de Daech en Europe et ...
What Makes A Video Radicalizing? Identifying Sources of Influence in QAnon Videos
September 17, 2024
In recent years, radicalization is being increasingly attempted on video-sharing platforms. Previous studies have been proposed to identify online radicalization using generic social context analysis, without taking into account comprehensive viewer traits and how those can affect viewers’ perception of radicalizing content. To address the challenge, we examine QAnon, a conspiracy-based radicalizing group, and have ...
Countering Violent Extremism: FBI and DHS Need Strategies and Goals for Sharing Threat Information with Social Media and Gaming Companies
September 17, 2024
Domestic terrorists pose a significant threat to the U.S., according to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. Domestic terrorists often use online platforms—such as social media and gaming—to communicate radical ideas to a wide audience and mobilize likeminded people. The FBI and DHS have some tools for sharing information with and receiving information ...
Preventing Tech-Fueled Political Violence: What online platforms can do to ensure they do not contribute to election-related violence
September 16, 2024
On the heels of reporting that far right extremist militias are once again organizing on Facebook in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, it is urgent for platforms to assess – and immediately act on – threats to the peaceful conduct of elections and the holding and transfer of power. On March 26th, 2024, ...
U.S. Users’ Exposure to YouTube Videos On- and Off-platform
September 16, 2024
YouTube is one of the most important platforms on the Internet. However, it is not just a singular destination: because YouTube videos may be embedded into any website, it is a systemically important platform for the entire web. Unfortunately, existing studies do not examine playable YouTube videos embedded around the web, instead focusing solely on ...
Transmisogyny, Colonialism and Online Anti‑Trans Activism Following Violent Extremist Attacks in the US and EU
September 16, 2024
We use a postcolonial approach, through which we find that the transphobia espoused online following the attacks was predominantly transmisogynistic, a consequence of the colonial logics around gender which assign the monopoly of violence to white cisgender men. The main themes identified were the erasure of trans identities, particularly transmasculinity, the overlap between transmisogyny and ...
The Development of Video Game Representations of the Middle East
September 16, 2024
This article critically explores the historical representation of the Middle East in video games until 2002 and following the 9/11 event. Using thematic analysis, we identify four main themes and discuss how this representation shifts with time, offering a brief overview of the broader context. I argue that there is a clear association between political ...
Digital media use, depressive symptoms and support for violent radicalization among young Canadians: a latent profile analysis
September 16, 2024
Background Despite the prominent role that digital media play in the lives and mental health of young people as well as in violent radicalization (VR) processes, empirical research aimed to investigate the association between Internet use, depressive symptoms and support for VR among young people is scant. We adopt a person-centered approach to investigate patterns ...
A Dataset for The Study of Online Radicalization Through Incel Forum Archives
September 16, 2024
The incel (involuntary celibate) community is an extremist online community that practices intense misogyny, racism, and that glorifies – and sometimes practices – violence. Work to understand the dynamics within incel communities has been hindered by the fact that these communities are spread over many platforms and many of the more popular forums of the ...
Image Content Indicators of Extremist Group Evolution: A Comparative Study of MENA-Based and Far-Right Groups
September 16, 2024
Policymakers, researchers, and responders alike focus on the evolution of terrorist and other groups associated with political violence. This study offers a comparative analysis of the images of ISIS and U.S. far-right groups’ use of flag images, as such emblems contribute to community building, heighten emotional responses, and have political import. It adds to previous ...