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.

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Tactical Exploitation of Online Services

Online terrorism and violent extremism comes in many forms and platforms are equally exploited in a variety of ways. Terrorist and violent extremist groups and individuals, like average users, use a mixture of platforms to further their aims. This cross-platform approach facilitates in storing content, holding private or confidential conversations, e-commerce for buying and selling goods as well as fundraising, recruitment, and the amplification of propaganda and messaging to the public. These signals, trends and adversarial shifts around this exploitation are highlighted by global experts.

Recruitment

Various online services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists for recruitment. In particular, research points to the use of platforms as a recruitment tool by terrorist groups such as ISIS. In parallel, young extremists were also found to use various new and popular social media platforms to influence other youngsters. Terrorists and violent extremists have also uses various dating platforms to make close connections with people and establish relationships.

  • 08th September 2022
    Right-Wing Extremists’ Use of the Internet: Emerging Trends in the Empirical Literature
    Dr. Ryan Scrivens, Tiana Gaudette, Dr. Maura Conway and Dr. Thomas J. Holt
  • 10th January 2022
    Youth-on-Youth Extreme-Right Recruitment on Mainstream Social Media Platforms
    Hannah Rose A C
  • 31st August 2021
    One-Stop-Shop for Recruitment and Dating: Extremists’ Exploitation of Dating Platforms
    Kesa White
  • 08th July 2021
    Current and Emerging Threats by Violent Extremists: Results of the Online CENS Expert Survey
    Joseph Franco
  • 22nd June 2021
    Extremism Unmasked
    Marc-André Argentino
  • 26th March 2021
    Radicalisation and Recruitment Online in Times of COVID-19: The Pandemic as a Propaganda Opportunity
    Youssef Tobi
  • 23rd March 2021
    Mexican Cartel Use of Social Media
    Dr. Robert Bunker
  • 23rd March 2021
    No Child’s Play: IS Propaganda Videos and the Recruitment of Children
    Flora Khoo, William Brown
  • 15th March 2021
    Leaving the World of ‘Impiety’: French Salafi Settlers in Mauritania
    Brune Descamps

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