Extremist organizations and online platforms: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Strategies of propaganda dissemination by foreign and domestic terrorist organizations have been adapting to the constant growth of technology and social networks. This systematic literature review seeks to analyze a sample of recent studies examining the communication methods and strategies used by violent extremist organizations (VEOs) to communicate online. Articles selected met the following criteria: (1) academic/scholarly journal source; (2) published between 2010 and 2022; (3) U.S.-based if discussing domestic extremism; and (4) included a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method study. Using a 12-part coding scheme, 105 articles were coded to address three research questions about the coverage of extremist groups, propaganda dissemination platforms, and relevant theory. The results of this review can be utilized in future research to either duplicate/expand upon findings or explore uncharted territory. Ultimately, more research developing comprehension of the inner workings of extremist organizations paves the way for a more effective counterterrorism strategy.