Abstract
Assessing the influence and reach of digital activity amongst far-right actors: A comparative evaluation of mainstream and ‘free speech’ social media platforms
Highlights
In May 2019 the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) produced an intelligence bulletin that was the first of its kind, as it was solely focused on the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists, including ‘anti-government, identity based, and fringe political conspiracy theories’ (FBI, 2019, p. 5)
In October 2020, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its annual Homeland Threat Assessment, which warned of the rise of domestic violent extremists (DVE), including in the form of white supremacist extremism (WSE), leading DHS to designate this group as ‘the most persistent and lethal threat to the homeland’ (p. 18).’
These government reports warn that extremists have moved online, where narratives and ideologies are amplified through social media channels that can reach individuals who are vulnerable to radicalization
Summary
In May 2019 the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) produced an intelligence bulletin that was the first of its kind, as it was solely focused on the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists, including ‘anti-government, identity based, and fringe political conspiracy theories’ (FBI, 2019, p. 5). The report assessed those believers of these conspiracies were very likely to pose a threat to ‘specific people, places, and organizations’ as promoters of these conspiracies use the power of the internet to expand their influence network by ‘crowdsourcing’ their extremist ideology, ‘fostering anti-government sentiment, promoting racial and religious prejudice, increasing political tensions, and occasionally driving groups and individuals to commit criminal or violent acts’ These government reports warn that extremists have moved online, where narratives and ideologies are amplified through social media channels that can reach individuals who are vulnerable to radicalization. Evidence of this phenomenon can be found in research that correlates the rise in alt-right activism with a sharp increase in hate crimes
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