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166 documents from Institute for Strategic Dialogue
Violence in Leicester: Understanding online escalation and offline fallout
The document analyzes the 2022 violence in Leicester, attributing it to a 'perfect storm' of local friction—such as disputes over the expansion of the Daman Hindu community and use of local facilities—and international tensions stemming from the Hindutva ideology of India's BJP government. It details how social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter were used to spread misinformation, with pro-BJP, Islamist, and far-right actors framing the conflict to suit their own narratives. The briefing also notes the role of Indian and international media in exacerbating the situation and the unexpected support for Muslims from Sikh activists due to their own tensions with the Indian government.
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Document type: Briefing
She Drops: How QAnon Conspiracy Theories Legitimize Coordinated and Targeted Gender Based Violence
The report analyzes over 9 million social media posts to examine how QAnon conspiracy theories drive coordinated harassment and gender-based violence against high-profile individuals, finding that targets are frequently brigaded with slanderous accusations of paedophilia.
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Document type: Report
The ‘Great Reset’ conspiracy in Australia
The report examines how conspiracy theories regarding the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its 'Great Reset' initiative have permeated Australian politics. It identifies the role of right-wing media, specifically Sky News, in promoting these narratives, which claim the WEF is a 'hidden hand' orchestrating pandemic measures to achieve sinister goals. The document details how these theories transitioned from social media to formal politics through figures like Senator Pauline Hanson and other right-wing politicians, eventually evolving to link the 'Great Reset' to issues such as net zero emissions and housing policy during the 2022 election cycle.
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Document type: Research paper
Online Antisemitism: A Toolkit for Civil Society
The document provides a comprehensive toolkit for civil society to combat online antisemitism. It analyzes how extremists use social media and 'alt-tech' platforms to normalize hate, examines legislative frameworks in the EU, Germany, France, and the UK, and offers strategies for engaging with platforms and governments. It emphasizes a shift from simple content removal to systemic regulation and the importance of digital citizenship education.
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Document type: Guide
Auf Odysee: Die Rolle von Blockchain-Technologie für die Monetarisierung im rechtsextremen Onlinemilieu
The report analyzes the Odysee platform as a case study in how blockchain-based 'incentivised' social media allows right-wing extremists to bypass traditional demonetization and generate income. Through content and financial analysis, the authors find that while the platform is not exclusively right-wing, its libertarian architecture and LBRY Credits (LBC) provide financial incentives and a 'censorship-resistant' haven. Findings show that established scene figures benefit most, with some accounts earning significant sums, though total earnings are highly volatile due to LBC price fluctuations. The report argues that 'decentralized' marketing often masks the platform's ability to perform central moderation like geoblocking and delisting, and recommends that regulators include these monetization affordances in action plans against right-wing extremism.
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Document type: Report
ELECTIONS 2022 The French information ecosystem put to the test
The report finds that while the French information ecosystem showed relative resilience during the 2022 elections, there was a significant rise in domestic anti-system narratives and far-right mobilisation. The limited impact of destabilisation efforts is attributed to the war in Ukraine diverting Russian resources, institutional pressure from the French government and EU (specifically the Digital Services Act), the regulated nature of the French electoral system, and the continued influence of traditional media. However, the authors warn of a growing trend of distrust in democratic institutions and the normalisation of polarising rhetoric by far-right actors using coordinated inauthentic behaviour and astroturfing.
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Document type: Report
ÉLECTIONS 2022 L'écosystème d'information sous pression
The report concludes that while the French information ecosystem remained relatively resilient in 2022, there was a notable shift from foreign interference to domestic-led anti-system and far-right mobilization. The authors attribute this resilience to the war in Ukraine (which diverted Russian resources), institutional pressure (including the Digital Services Act and Viginum), the structural nature of the French electoral system, and the continued influence of traditional media. However, the report warns of a growing threat from structured anti-system communities and the normalization of polarizing rhetoric on social media.
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Document type: Report
Hate in Plain Sight
The report finds that Instagram and TikTok frequently recommended abusive hashtags and content targeting women in US politics, often bypassing their own community standards. The abuse included misogynistic attacks, sexual harassment, transphobic content, and gendered disinformation, with candidates possessing intersecting identities facing the most egregious abuse.
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Document type: Report
Midline Assessment Report for PROACT: Community-Based Interventions Program in Kenya
The PROACT program has significantly increased the knowledge, confidence, and attitudes of community team members regarding P/CVE, with knowledge levels rising from 18.4% to 90.7% post-training. The program has strengthened County Engagement Forums (CEFs) and implemented County Action Plans (CAPs), though sustainability is challenged by a reliance on external donor funding and inconsistent CEF membership. Key findings highlight a shift in terrorist recruitment from face-to-face to online methods and a need for greater security actor trust in community-led processes. Recommendations include embedding P/CVE funding into county legislation, extending the program duration for sustainable transformation, and developing P/CVE curricula for educational institutions.
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Document type: Report
Monitoring Disinformation and Influence Campaigns in the 2022 French Elections: Lessons Learnt
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) monitored the 2022 French elections, finding that while Russian state-backed influence was limited due to EU bans, domestic non-state actors and far-right figures effectively leveraged social media to spread anti-establishment narratives. Key tactics included coordinated inauthentic behaviour by Éric Zemmour's campaign, the cross-platform monetisation of fake vaccination passes, and the mainstreaming of the 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory. The report highlights significant gaps in platform content moderation, particularly regarding online abuse of candidates and voter fraud narratives, and recommends stronger regulatory oversight and data transparency from social media companies.
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Document type: Report
Profiting from hate
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) analyzed Redbubble, Etsy, Teespring, Teepublic, and Zazzle, finding that despite existing community guidelines, these platforms continue to host a wide range of extremist and hateful products. The report highlights that while explicit keywords are often blocked, coded language and network-tracing reveal substantial quantities of neo-Nazi, antisemitic, and conspiratorial merchandise. The platforms profit significantly from these sales, often retaining 80% or more of the revenue.
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Document type: Report
She Drops: How QAnon Conspiracy Theories Legitimize Coordinated and Targeted Gender Based Violence
The report examines the role of gender-based violence (GBV) in the coordinated harassment of six celebrities by the QAnon community. Through the analysis of over 9 million posts across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the authors find that while accusations of paedophilia are the primary driver of abuse, gender, race, and sexual orientation significantly amplify the volume and nature of the harassment. Women, particularly women of colour, experience higher rates of targeted hate and gender-specific abuse. The report identifies 'flashpoints'—unrelated negative media events—as catalysts that QAnon adherents leverage to amplify existing conspiracy narratives and coordinate 'brigading' campaigns. The authors argue that the 'paedophile' label serves as a tool for dehumanization, justifying mob justice and creating a persistent baseline of harassment that often extends to the targets' family members.
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Document type: Report
Signposts
The document outlines the evolution of right-wing extremist online activity in Germany, from early forums and websites to modern 'alt-tech' platforms and encrypted messengers. It establishes a working definition of right-wing extremism as 'a form of nationalism characterised by its reference to racial, ethnic or cultural supremacy' and details the role of deplatforming in driving users toward unregulated spaces. Expert interviews highlight the growing importance of audiovisual platforms like TikTok and Telegram, as well as the intermingling of right-wing extremism with conspiracy theories and misogynistic 'manosphere' content.
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Document type: Report
Telegram as a buttress
The report analyzes the role of Telegram as a 'buttress' for far-right and conspiracy-oriented actors in Germany. Through link analysis of 238 channels, it finds that while Telegram serves as a primary hub and file-sharing tool, these actors continue to strategically use established platforms like YouTube despite regulatory efforts such as the NetzDG. The study highlights the influence of 'power users' like Attila Hildmann, who build complex networks of channels to maximize reach and circumvent platform restrictions.
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Document type: Report
Kalter Wind von Rechts: Wie rechte Parteien und Akteur:innen die Klimakrise zu ihren Gunsten missbrauchen
The report analyzes how right-wing actors, particularly the AfD, leveraged the 2021 German federal election to spread climate disinformation. Based on monitoring of Facebook and Twitter from August 8 to October 3, 2021, the study found that the AfD's climate-related posts achieved significantly higher engagement than its other content and those of opposing parties. The analysis identifies a strategy of framing climate protection as a 'culture war' and a threat to lifestyles, utilizing 'denial and delay' narratives that were shared over 135,000 times. It also notes a platform divide, with positive climate messages dominating Twitter while negative narratives prevailed on Facebook.
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Document type: Report
RECIPROCAL DYNAMICS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA’S POLITICAL FRINGES ON TWITTER
The analysis of 404,375 tweets from 151 far-left and 75 far-right accounts reveals that both groups are primarily driven by oppositional narratives, where activity by one fringe inspires counter-mobilisation by the other. While the far right frequently engaged in hateful content targeting minorities and promoted conspiratorial views on COVID-19, the far left focused on social and economic justice, with only a small fraction of content meeting specific definitions of antisemitism. The report concludes that the far left does not pose a security threat equivalent to the far right and suggests that moderating far-right extremism could reduce overall counter-mobilisation.
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Document type: Research paper
The resilience of online right-wing extremism in Canada
The document identifies the resilience of Canadian right-wing extremism online, noting that while social media enforcement removes some accounts, new ones frequently emerge. It highlights the significant influence of US politics and the COVID-19 pandemic on extremist activity, with the latter accounting for 38.8% of categorised messages. The analysis also details the role of these groups in spreading disinformation and the presence of violent mobilisation on fringe platforms like Telegram and incel forums.
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Document type: Briefing
A SNAPSHOT OF FAR-RIGHT ACTIVITY ON GAB IN AUSTRALIA
The report analyses a network of 40 geolocated Australian Gab accounts, finding that the platform serves as a hub for antisemitism, white supremacy, and COVID-19 disinformation. Activity spiked between June and August 2020, coinciding with global Black Lives Matter protests and Melbourne lockdowns. A small number of highly active accounts drove the majority of content, often promoting conspiracy theories about a 'Marxist' infiltration of Western institutions and calling for white separatism or violence.
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Document type: Briefing
The Cloud Caliphate: Archiving the Islamic State in Real-Time
The report analyzes the 'Cloud Caliphate,' a 2.2 terabyte digital archive of Islamic State content hosted via NextCloud and Cloudflare. It examines the repository's composition, its role in maintaining a 'national biography' for a decentralized global movement, and its integration into a broader ecosystem of pro-Islamic State websites. The authors detail the archive's contents—ranging from historical 'genesis' files to tactical manuals—and provide policy recommendations for marginalizing such repositories by disrupting the networks and tools used to promote them.
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Document type: Report
A snapshot analysis of anti-Muslim mobilisation in France after terror attacks
The document analyzes anti-Muslim sentiment in France, noting that terrorist attacks in October 2020 triggered significant spikes in hateful online discourse. Using social media listening tools, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) identified key narratives including the alleged 'islamisation' of France, anti-headscarf rhetoric, and the 'great replacement' conspiracy theory. The analysis highlights the role of far-right politicians and media outlets in mainstreaming this discourse, particularly targeting Muslim women.
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Document type: Briefing