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Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic

Joe Whittaker Orcid Logo

Exploring Trends and Research in Countering and Preventing Extremism & Violent Extremism, Pages: 30 - 41

Swansea University Author: Joe Whittaker Orcid Logo

Abstract

There has been widespread concern within media and policy circles over the effects of the pandemic on radicalization. This is often articulated as a fear that more time spent online will lead to greater exposure to extreme and harmful content, which in turn, may increase the chances of individuals t...

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Published in: Exploring Trends and Research in Countering and Preventing Extremism & Violent Extremism
Published: Abu Dhabi Hedayah 2023
Online Access: https://hedayah.com/resources/exploring-trends-and-research-in-countering-and-preventing-extremism-violent-extremism/
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65069
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first_indexed 2023-11-22T11:45:15Z
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spelling v2 65069 2023-11-22 Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic 112ed59957393e783f913443ec80faab 0000-0001-7342-6369 Joe Whittaker Joe Whittaker true false 2023-11-22 CSSP There has been widespread concern within media and policy circles over the effects of the pandemic on radicalization. This is often articulated as a fear that more time spent online will lead to greater exposure to extreme and harmful content, which in turn, may increase the chances of individuals turning to violent extremism. Combined with the high levels of stress, uncertainty, and socioeconomic upheaval, at first glance, this seems like a legitimate concern. This chapter will explore this claim, ultimately arguing that we do not yet know enough to make firm judgments as to whether the pandemic will cause an increase in violent extremism. Moreover, despite a clear adoption of COVID narratives as part of extremist messaging and increased engagement with such content during the lockdown periods, there are reasons to be skeptical that this will necessarily lead to more violence. Rather, existing knowledge highlights the complexity of the radicalization process and the importance of face-to- face interactions; CVE experts should not just assume that it will be exacerbated by more engagement with radical content online, particularly if it comes at the expense of offline encounters. As such, this chapter is relevant not simply to the ramifications of the COVID pandemic, but also the wider topic of online radicalization, investigating the relationship between engaging in radical content and violent outcomes. Book chapter Exploring Trends and Research in Countering and Preventing Extremism & Violent Extremism 30 41 Hedayah Abu Dhabi 14 11 2023 2023-11-14 https://hedayah.com/resources/exploring-trends-and-research-in-countering-and-preventing-extremism-violent-extremism/ https://hedayah.com/resources/exploring-trends-and-research-in-countering-and-preventing-extremism-violent-extremism/ COLLEGE NANME Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy COLLEGE CODE CSSP Swansea University Not Required 2024-03-13T15:32:31.0381119 2023-11-22T11:42:17.6315080 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy Joe Whittaker 0000-0001-7342-6369 1
title Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
spellingShingle Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
Joe Whittaker
title_short Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
title_full Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
title_fullStr Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
title_sort Online Radicalization During the Covid Pandemic
author_id_str_mv 112ed59957393e783f913443ec80faab
author_id_fullname_str_mv 112ed59957393e783f913443ec80faab_***_Joe Whittaker
author Joe Whittaker
author2 Joe Whittaker
format Book chapter
container_title Exploring Trends and Research in Countering and Preventing Extremism & Violent Extremism
container_start_page 30
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
publisher Hedayah
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy
url https://hedayah.com/resources/exploring-trends-and-research-in-countering-and-preventing-extremism-violent-extremism/
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description There has been widespread concern within media and policy circles over the effects of the pandemic on radicalization. This is often articulated as a fear that more time spent online will lead to greater exposure to extreme and harmful content, which in turn, may increase the chances of individuals turning to violent extremism. Combined with the high levels of stress, uncertainty, and socioeconomic upheaval, at first glance, this seems like a legitimate concern. This chapter will explore this claim, ultimately arguing that we do not yet know enough to make firm judgments as to whether the pandemic will cause an increase in violent extremism. Moreover, despite a clear adoption of COVID narratives as part of extremist messaging and increased engagement with such content during the lockdown periods, there are reasons to be skeptical that this will necessarily lead to more violence. Rather, existing knowledge highlights the complexity of the radicalization process and the importance of face-to- face interactions; CVE experts should not just assume that it will be exacerbated by more engagement with radical content online, particularly if it comes at the expense of offline encounters. As such, this chapter is relevant not simply to the ramifications of the COVID pandemic, but also the wider topic of online radicalization, investigating the relationship between engaging in radical content and violent outcomes.
published_date 2023-11-14T15:32:27Z
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score 11.037603

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