The internet is playing an increasingly prominent role in radicalisation, with a particular rise in the use of open social media platforms, according to a comprehensive analysis of the online activity of convicted extremists in England and Wales.
The research by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) was the first to use closed source data and has been published in a parliamentary report by the Ministry of Justice.
Researchers were given access to more than 230 detailed post-conviction assessments to investigate online and offline activities in the build-up to the offense, together with ratings of risk levels and further characteristics of each individual and case.
The study explored the relationship between online activity and the type of offenses committed among three groups: those who primarily radicalized online; those who primarily radicalized offline; and those radicalized through both online and offline influences.
Findings show that since 2005 the proportion of offenders radicalized online has increased, while at the same time those who were subject primarily to offline influences were found to have decreased.
The types of websites, platforms and applications used by those who are convicted of extremist offenses were found to have changed over time, moving away from specific extremist websites towards the use of open social media platforms.
The research, which included reports containing assessments of overall...
Read Full Story: https://phys.org/news/2021-09-convicted-extremists-social-media-platforms.html
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