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Tech Against Terrorism Response to the EU’s Terrorist Content Online Regulation
June 30, 2021
By Tech Against Terrorism Support mechanisms, legal certainty, and safeguards needed to avoid negative impact On 28 April the EU Parliament announced that the regulation on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online had been approved. On 7 June, the law, which was initially introduced by the Commission and has gone through several iterations, entered into force and ...
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Using Twitter as a Data Source: An Overview of Social Media Research Tools (2021)
June 23, 2021
By Wasim Ahmed When I wrote the original version of this post back in 2015, and the revised versions in 2017 and 2019, I wasn’t sure how long Twitter would provide access to its data. This was because after a string of public scandals other platforms such as Facebook had been closing or limiting access. Fast-forward to 2021, and something ...
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Examining Online Indicators of Extremism in Violent Right-Wing Extremist Forums
June 16, 2021
This article summarises a recent study published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. By Ryan Scrivens, Amanda Isabel Osuna, Steven M. Chermak, Michael Whitney, and Richard Frank. Although many law enforcement and intelligence agencies are concerned about online communities known to facilitate violent right-wing extremism, little is empirically known about the presence of extremist ideologies, ...
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How Do Violent Extremists Use Digital Media? An Analysis of Bangladeshi Extremist Lifecycles
June 9, 2021
By Saimum Parvez Bangladesh is an often overlooked country in violent extremism research.  At least 40 pro-secular writers and activists, foreign nationals, and members of minority religious groups were murdered in Bangladesh by violent extremists between 2013 and 2017. On July 1, 2016, Islamic State-affiliated violent extremists stabbed to death 20 hostages, including Indian, Italian, ...
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The Digital Gaps
June 2, 2021
By Dieter Loraine Yet again during this COVID pandemic, terrorist and violent extremist organisations have proven adept at using the internet and digital technology to further their aims, reach new audiences and recruit people to commit violent acts. Government policies and responses at all levels have been in a state of constant catch up to ...
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Jacinda Ardern Calls for ‘Ethical Algorithms’ to Combat Online Extremism. What This Means
May 26, 2021
By Nathalie Collins New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has called for “ethical algorithms” to help stop online radicalisation. She made her call at the second summit of the “Christchurch Call” for action to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The first Christchurch Call summit was convened by Ardern and French president Emmanuel Macron ...
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Preventing the Far-right Extremism “Wave” in Europe: Contemporary Policies and Future Trajectories
May 19, 2021
By Inés Bolaños Somoano Old threats, new threats Has the European Union “won” the fight against terrorism? Yes and no. Australia’s Institute for Economic & Peace’s Global Terrorism Index 2020 highlights how global deaths from terrorism have fallen for a fifth consecutive year, but also warns of a new terrorism “wave”: far-right attacks have increased ...
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Lone Actors in Digital Environments
May 12, 2021
Want to submit a blog post? Click here. By Alexander Ritzmann The Halle attacker – who killed two people, injured two and aimed at killing dozens more at a Synagogue on 9 October 2019 – was inspired and motivated by online manifestos. In addition, he streamed his attack online and posted his own manifesto online, ...
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Book Review: Jihadi Audiovisuality and Its Entanglements
May 5, 2021
Want to submit a blog post? Click here. By Eurasia Review A new book looks at the use of audiovisual media by jihadi groups and their supporters as well as at how these contributions are being countered Recent attacks by jihadists in Kabul, Dresden, Paris, and Vienna have brought the problem of Islamist terror back into ...
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Comparing the Online Posting Behaviors of Violent and Non-Violent Right-Wing Extremists
April 28, 2021
This article summarises a recent study published in Terrorism and Political Violence. By Ryan Scrivens, Thomas W. Wojciechowski, Joshua D. Freilich, Steven M. Chermak, and Richard Frank Despite the ongoing need for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to identify and assess the online activities of violent extremists prior to their engagement in violence offline, little is ...