On Wednesday May 6th, 2020, the UK’s Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology published a new report surrounding online extremism, which cites the work of CYTREC members Professor Stuart Macdonald, Dr Lella Nouri, Amy-Louise Watkin, and J.M. Berger.
The report focuses on how extremism manifests online, the consequences and influences of exposure, and the potential strategies to counter extremist content. It analyses the proposals put forward to address extremism in the Online Harms White Paper, where responsibility lies for regulating the internet, and the issues surrounding content removal.
The research cited by members of CYTREC includes discussion surrounding how exposure to extremism can encourage radicalisation, the dissemination of extremist content, the spread of propaganda, de-platforming and the prevention of normalisation of harmful extreme views, and how excluding users from mainstream sites can push them towards fringe platforms.
The Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC) at Swansea University explores a range of online threats. The interdisciplinary centre brings together experts in the fields of criminology law, political science, linguistics, and psychology with an aim to better understand online threats, produce new original empirical research and inform policy and practice.
For further information, see CYTREC’s website.