Panel 5C: Ecosystems
Chair: Dr Amy-Louise Watkin (University of the West of Scotland)
Unveiling the Links: Cross-Platform Communication and the Formation of Anti-Government Extremist Networks Leoni Heyn (Christian-Albrechts University Kiel & Institute for Security Policy Kiel)
Abstract: Since the pandemic, both research and security authorities observed shifts in the extremism landscape. Yet, empirical explanations have so far been limited. This paper proposes to understand those shifts as anti-government extremism (AGE). I will be analysing the merging process of the Corona-protest and Reichsbü rger milieu in the run-up to their joint attempt to overthrow the German government in December 2022. Empirically, the paper explores the relationship between issue-driven AGE (Corona-protesters) and ideological driven AGE (Reichsbü rger) by conducting a longitudinal network analysis of their cross-platform communication data from the storming of the Reichstag (August 2020) until the events of December 2022. By examining their a) quantitative usage patterns of diverse social media platforms and b) qualitative use of extremist and conspiratorial narratives over time, this analysis especially considers the role of different platforms in the process of radicalisation. The study argues that pandemic-driven grievances, group-bridging narratives, and the (use of the) platform Telegram acted as multipliers for the convergence of these milieus in the run-up of the event. The interaction of issue-driven individuals with and through these multipliers favoured their radicalisation over time, which allowed for a transformation into ideological driven AGE. Understanding the online ecosystem of the far-right in Ireland Gabriella Fattibene (University College Cork) [Co-authors: Dr Orla Lynch (University College Cork) & Dr James Windle (University College Cork)] Abstract: While there is no significant far-right political presence in Ireland, there has been an increase in online activity emerging from and linked to Irish issues and sources in recent years. In an effort to understand the nature of online far-right activity in this jurisdiction, this project focuses on exploring far-right narratives and far-right associated conspiracy theories popular with Irish far-right groups/movements, the origins of these narratives and conspiracy theories, and the issue of contagion in this space. To do this the team gathered data from Twitter, Telegram, YouTube and 4Chan and focusing on large, “influencer status” accounts: 422,156 unique posts were gathered and 3,458 were keyword-tagged as directly relevant to Irish extreme right-wing themes. The results presented here will focus on the relevance of social media platform choice, ideological contagion across geographic locations, the unique nature of Irish influencer use of far-right narratives and the role of conspiracy theories.
Online Jihadist Propaganda Dissemination Strategies Sean McCafferty (Dublin City University) [Co-author: Prof Stuart Macdonald (Swansea University)]
Abstract: This research analyses the shifting landscape of online jihadist propaganda dissemination. Focused on the strategies employed by three prominent groups—Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda (AQ), and Al-Shabaab—the study presents insights from an extensive data collection effort spanning a two-month period in early 2023. By examining 4,164 posts across 12 channels on various platforms, including archiving platforms and decentralized messaging services, the research sheds light on the dissemination tactics adopted by these groups to share items of propaganda.
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