Tech Against Terrorism

In this week’s episode, we’re delving into the key trends of the past three years in how online users disseminate far-right terrorist propaganda online. From gamification to Generative AI, we’ll be sharing findings from our upcoming report – TCAP Insights: Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Adam Donald, TCAP Manager at Tech Against Terrorism, who was part of the team working on our latest TCAP research report. We discuss the distribution of terrorist content online using TCAP statistics, which terrorist entities are most proficient, and which platforms are most heavily exploited. We also cover how gamification and sanctification of far-right propaganda is leading to a larger audience reach for this content, even on mainstream platforms. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for platforms to counter these trends.

Sign up to join the webinar launching the full report here.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Since 2017, the UK has seen fifteen terrorist attacks – from the Manchester Arena bombing to the Dover firebomb attack. But during that time, more than twice as many attacks have also been foiled. So in this week’s episode, we’re looking at terror plotters in the UK. We are delving into the case studies of two very young plotters who were largely radicalised online, trying to understand what led them down their violent pathways and what can be done by stakeholders to prevent similar cases in future. 

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Lizzie Dearden, a home affairs and security journalist, and author of the book Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed. 

You can read a transcript of this episode here. 

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Resources:

• Lizzie Dearden’s book, Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed
• TAT Podcast: How has the Online Dissemination of Jihadist Propaganda Evolved?
• TAT Podcast: Gaming and Extremism: Threats and Opportunities
• TAT Podcast: Gaming and Extremism: Identity Fusion

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Brody McDonald, director of the Oxford Disinformation and Extremism Lab, and Associate Fellow at King’s College London.

You can read a transcript of the episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Resources:

• Brody’s recent research 
• TAT Podcast: God, Guns and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America

In this week’s episode, we are delving into Islamic State’s global propaganda network. We map the group’s media apparatus, unpacking the term “media Jihad” to understand the role of pro-IS online networks in waging its propaganda war. We highlight the centrality of Islamic State Khorasan Province, also known as ISKP, in reinvigorating IS’s propaganda machine. 

Note: this episode was recorded prior to the terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow on 22 March 2024, which has killed at least 139 people. ISKP has claimed the attack.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Lucas Webber, co-founder of Militant Wire, a media company that provides expert analysis on militant activity around the globe.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
 
Resources:

• Militant Wire
• Lucas Webber’s X page
• Tech Against Terrorism’s report on ISKP’s Moscow attack
• TAT analysis: After the Taliban Takeover: How Islamic State-Khorasan Are Exploiting the Online Ecosystem and Projecting the Threat
• TAT podcast: Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K): A Growing Threat

In this week’s episode, we look at how the far-right threat has intersected with their exploitation of technology over the past 40 years or so. We trace the far-right's experimentation with technology back to white supremacists in 1980s America, discuss the revolutionary effect of social media on far-right terrorism , and explore the risks of violence in the upcoming US elections.

This time, Archie Macfarlane is joined by Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Jacob Ware, a research fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations. The episode explores their new book God, Guns and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America, which traces the history of the far-right extremist movement in the US and how to counter it.

You can read a transcript of this episode here. 

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Resources:

• God, Guns and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America

In this week’s episode, we’re revisiting how Islamist terrorist groups disseminate propaganda online. We look at the tactics these groups use to ensure their propaganda remains online and reaches as wide an audience as possible. And we find out how platforms are fighting back.

Join Archie Macfarlane as he speaks with Dr. Stuart Macdonald, professor of law at Swansea University and Director of the University’s Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC), and Sean McCafferty, a researcher and OSINT analyst at Dublin City University.

Stuart and Sean have co-authored a report on the state of 'Online Jihadist Propaganda dissemination.' Their research provides insights into the characteristics of online terrorist ecosystems, the adaptive tactics employed by these entities in reaction to moderation, and presents recommendations for both tech platforms and policymakers.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X.
Resources:

• Online Jihadist Propaganda dissemination report (COMING SOON)
• Tech Against Terrorism: Ethics of Content Moderation
• Tech Against Terrorism Podcast: Combating Terrorist Use of File-Sharing

In this week’s episode, we investigate the term ‘White Jihad,’ the seemingly paradoxical interaction between white supremacy and Jihadism online. We ask how this loose online community emerged, who it attracts, and what can be done to counter it. 

Join Archie Macfarlane as he speaks with Dr. Federico Borgonovo, a research-analyst at ITSTIME, the Italian Team for Security Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies, at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart, in Milan.

You can read a transcript of this episode here. 

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Resources:

• ITSTIME website
• Exploring the Whitejihad Digital Ecosystem - F.Borgonovo & S.R.Lucini
• Tech Against Terrorism Europe (TATE) website

In this week’s episode, we ask why media reporting on terrorism matters, discussing the research on media coverage of terrorist attacks and suicides, the potentially harmful effects on society, and what guidelines can be put in place to ensure more responsible media reporting, including on social media.

Join Archie Macfarlane as he speaks with Dr. Brigitte Naderer, Prof. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler and Dr. Benedikt Till from the Medical University of Vienna.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on Twitter, where you can find resources on this topic. 

Resources:

• Short-Term Effects of Media Reports on Terrorism That Are Consistent vs. Not Consistent with Media Recommendations on Mass Shootings: A Randomized Controlled Trial
• Recommendations for Reporting on Mass Shootings
• Tech Against Terrorism Europe (TATE) website

In this week’s episode, we discuss the Great Replacement Theory (GRT), a conspiracy theory which asserts that there is an orchestrated plan to replace native European and North American populations with non-white immigrants. We unpack why this narrative has become central to the worldview of the global far-right, how it has spread online; and to what extent these beliefs have infilitrated the mainstream.

Join Archie Macfarlane as he speaks with Jacob Davey, the Head of Research & Policy for Far-right and Hate Movements at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Jacob’s work involves mapping far-right extremism and the development of new tools for tracking hate speech globally.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on Twitter, where you can find resources on this topic. 

In this week's episode, we discuss the challenges and complexities of content moderation in the online space, asking who gets to decide what we say online and why. We situate this debate in the context of tech platforms facing ever-increasing pressure to moderate content that is considered harmful or otherwise undesirable.

We delve into the mechanics of how content is moderated, focusing on the evolving roles and responsibilities of tech companies and governments in determining acceptable content. Decisions to deplatform individuals or groups, even when their content is not explicitly illegal, raise questions about the legitimacy of tech companies as arbiters of public dialogue.

Join Archie Macfarlane as he speaks with Alastair Reed, Associate Professor at the Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC) at Swansea University and former Director of the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) in the Hague.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on Twitter, where you can find resources on this topic.