A series of disturbing recent incidents has brought renewed attention to extremist violence, particularly the radicalization of young people online.
Austrian authorities recently canceled three Taylor Swift ERAS tour concerts after learning of an alleged plot by a 19-year-old man to attack crowds at a stadium in Vienna.
ASIO chief Mike Burgess warned that more and more young people are being radicalised online, accelerating the rise of violent extremism fuelled by the internet. “The internet can trap people very quickly and damage young brains that are not yet fully formed,” he said. “They can quickly fall into a pit of hatred.”
So why is this happening, and what can be done to curb it?
The modern online environment fosters extremism. Big tech’s digital platforms are designed for profit, not democracy. Engagement drives revenue, and extremist content tends to drive engagement.
The speed at which misinformation can be created and shared has increased, making it harder than ever to distinguish fact from fiction.
This means extremist recruiters have greater ability than ever to rapidly target vulnerable individuals.
But exposure to extremist content does not necessarily guarantee radicalization, and extremist messages are most effective when they tap into young people’s real or perceived grievances.
Potentially violent online radicalization is most likely to occur when young people’s needs are not being met.
This can happen when you are “red pilled” by encountering far-right messaging, or you can be “black pilled” while living on an incel forum. Incel stands for “involuntary celibates” and describes a culture of men who have become hostile towards women in general because they have never been successful in attracting women.
For example, young men are increasingly being targeted by misogynistic content online, which is often designed to exploit their insecurities and offer them “solutions.”
So-called “manosphere” content may lead men to believe that feminism is the cause of their suffering, which may increase the likelihood of men committing violence against women.
Young people want a sense of belonging, dignity and purpose. We know that when they feel connected to like-minded people and those who think differently from them, they are more resistant to violent radicalization. It is also important that young people trust organizations and feel they can participate in social inclusion.
Most young people recruited by extremist groups are led to believe they are being mobilized for a “cause” that seeks to protect human dignity.
It is important to remember that the internet can also enable positive forms of radicalization: for example, people can be radicalized to participate in democracy. We can see this happening with the “coconut pill” resistance movement against the far-right movement associated with US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Research I did
As part of the Building Resilience Against Violent Extremism and Polarisation project, it became clear that grassroots arts-based activism could help people move away from online extremism.
These interventions resonate and engage people in positive social activities.
Take online gaming, for example: online gaming culture is often associated with recruitment to hate-based ideologies, but it can also be used to educate young people about extremism.
Loulu is one such initiative.
Designed by German organization Onlinetheater.live in collaboration with the HAU Hebbel am Ufer performance arts theater, Loulu is an interactive digital game that subtly educates players about the machinations of the far-right.
The caption of the above Instagram post reads in English:
Loulu – Interactive fiction about far-right and anti-feminist networks on the internet […] We developed the app in cooperation with @kulturstiftungdesbundes and with the support of @hauberlin [that] It reflects the manipulative strategies of right-wing and anti-feminist networks.
This award-winning, free smartphone app is designed to educate people about pathways to online radicalization through a fictional influencer named “Loulu.”
The game is set in a fictional German city that has just been hit by a far-right terrorist attack.
Loulu’s interactive format, visually appealing and beautifully designed realistic scenarios help players develop their critical thinking skills and strengthen their resistance to recruitment efforts by violent online extremist groups.
This meme by feminist artist-influencer Lily O’Farrell (@vulgadrawings) is another example of a successful communication intervention.
The artist began addressing the nuances of the manosphere in 2021 after he began speaking to young men who would troll him on Instagram.
The men found out about her account after it was shared in a men’s rights subreddit group.
Concerned that the group was primarily made up of young men between the ages of 16 and 23, O’Farrell decided to join incel subreddit groups to investigate the movement.
Following these investigations, the cartoonist produced a series of drawings entitled “Everything I Learned About Incels,” which introduced the world of incels to her 319,000 mostly feminist followers.
Rather than demonising incels, her paintings show the structure of the movement and give viewers insight into its black-pill logic.
O’Farrell acknowledges the real and perceived discontent among young men in these groups.
These include loneliness, body image concerns and lack of mental health support, all of which incels blame on women.
The artist’s cartoons reveal that the root causes of these discontents are linked to patriarchal structures.
This helps young male viewers who are on the incel spectrum understand that women are not to blame for such structures, but rather they are also victims.
This artist’s painting is an excellent example of an alternative narrative strategy that can help counter violent radicalization through critical empathic engagement.
