Contextual
Resources

Once a government or tech company develops a definition of terrorism or violent extremism, it can be difficult to know how to apply these definitions to the variety of ways that terrorism and violent extremism manifests internationally and across online spaces.

This section of the site aims to highlight contextual resources on themes related to applying definitions to the online space.  GIFCT funds the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) to bring forward actionable insights from experts and practitioners around the world to better inform and give context to tech companies, governments, practitioners and other stakeholders in this field. Insights are curated here under context-based themes.

Filters

Ideology

Ideologically motivated violent groups and movements take different forms in different parts of the world. In a post-9/11 framework, and particularly since the rise of ISIS, most terrorist studies and counter-extremism work have focussed on Islamist extremist groups. However, we also see modern trends of groups associated with white supremacy and neo-Naziism, misogyny-based violent extremist groups often referred to as being part of the “incel” community, far-left groups, and neo-nationalist groups such as the Hindutva movement and Buddhist extremist groups in Asia. Across international far-right violent extremist trends we see an increase in violence inducing conspiracy theory networks, including new trends revolving around anti-vaccination movements and even anti-5G movements that have an effect on technology companies.

Accelerationism

The term “accelerationism” has gained traction in the last few years. GNET insights aid in contextualizing the overall ideology. Research explores the overall ideology’s online presence on platforms, along with wider exposés on global online accelerationist activity. Additionally, available research hones in on particular groups such as the Boogaloo, among others.

  • 27th April 2023
    The Lineage of Violence: Saints Culture and Militant Accelerationist Terrorism
    Jonathan Lewis, Joshua Molloy and Graham Macklin
  • 23rd November 2022
    Cranking Out Violence: Conspiracies are Driving More Politically-Motivated Attacks
    Erica Barbarossa and Isabela Bernardo
  • 10th November 2022
    ‘All my Heroes are Dead’: The Untimely Demise of The American Futurist – James Mason Partnership
    Dr Bethan Johnson
  • 04th October 2022
    Nihilism and Mass Shooterism: Unclear Categories and Potential Dangers
    Sammie Wicks
  • 12th September 2022
    Analysing Terrorgram Publications: A New Digital Zine
    Matthew Kriner and Bjørn Ihler
  • 31st August 2022
    The Time for e-Democracy is Now: How a Digitally Functional Democracy Could Prevent Extremist Accelerationism
    Jon Deedman
  • 03rd August 2022
    Mass Shooterism and the Need for Online Interventions and Bystander Resources
    Moonshot Team
  • 18th July 2022
    Examining White Supremacist and Militant Accelerationism Trends on TikTok
    Abbie Richards
  • 13th July 2022
    Ideological Nihilism and Aesthetic Violence: Mass Shooters and Online Antisocial Subcultures
    Simon Purdue

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