Skip to main content

Interactive LIVE Webinar: "Online Dimensions to Preventing Violent Extremism"

Description

The purpose of the online webinar is to provide technical support on issues relevant to P/CVERLT to facilitators of the OSCE’s Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) who participated in regional train-the-trainer seminar in South-Eastern Europe. This webinar will build on the content covered in the LIVE curriculum and will provide an opportunity for facilitators to engage with an expert on the relevant topic.

Summary

This online webinar will focus on the topic related to “Online Dimensions to Preventing Violent Extremism”.

Topics

1) The (ab)use of the internet in VERLT – introduction for civil society
The use of the internet in violent extremism and radicalisation that lead to terrorism (VERLT) has over the past few years been widely discussed, especially emphasising the role of social media at large, echo-chambers, encrypted channels of communication, disinformation and conspiracy communities and fringe online communities. But how, and to what extent do violent extremists and terrorists (ab)use the internet, how do they utilise it for internal communication, for spreading propaganda and fear, silencing opposition and recruiting new followers of harmful ideologies? In this introduction to the topic of the use of the internet in violent extremism and radicalisation that leads to terrorism the key focus is to better understand the dynamics of the online actions and interactions of individuals engaged in violent extremism.

Through the lens of prevention, participants take a closer look at how to identify (violent) extremist content online as well as ways that violent extremists utilize online means of communication in order to promote their cause. Practitioners who work to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT) and technology companies and policy makers that address harmful content and online behaviours that promote the cause of  violent extremist organizations and radicalized individuals will also be focused on, in line with the do-no-harm principle and with a particular focus on prevention.


2) Safely addressing online content promoting hatred and VERLT
As some online spaces have been occupied by those spreading violent extremist propaganda using technologies for the purpose of recruiting to violent extremism and radicalisation that leads to terrorism, the international community of researchers and practitioners working in crime prevention and P/CVERLT through governments, law enforcement, as well as civil  society organizations have developed strategies to counteract these efforts. Developing strategies for addressing, countering and preventing harmful behaviours online does, however, go far beyond the conventional ideas of counter messaging. These strategies range from direct intervention and engagement with individuals who engage with extremist content, community standards, policy and removal of content, to the design of algorithms and user interfaces displaying and contextualising extremist content online.

In this session, participants will be introduced to the diverse range of approaches and strategies to address the dissemination and impact of online content promoting hatred and violent extremism and radicalisation that leads to terrorism, with a particular focus on prevention. 

This online webinar will be delivered Bjørn Ihler- an internationally renowned expert in countering and preventing radicalisation into violent extremism through the design of healthier communities on and off-line. 

“Stop the cycle of violence” link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmBATofAXr4