The WODC has published the research Blurred Boundaries. Extremist and terrorist organizations are increasingly shaping the online domain to their advantage, and countering this presents various challenges.
The researchers state, “The online dissemination of harmful content is not new, but its scope, speed, and sophistication have drastically increased due to technological innovations. Jihadist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaida, as well as right-wing extremist groups in Europe and North America, already use these technologies in their propaganda campaigns. This content ranges from openly terrorist material to so-called ‘borderline’ content—material that does not clearly fall within the legal definitions of terrorist or illegal content but has an erosive effect on democratic values and social cohesion. This content can incite hatred, normalize terrorist violence, and deepen societal polarization. Young people, who primarily obtain their information via social media, are particularly vulnerable to online radicalization.”
This WODC research focuses on ‘legal, ethical, and practical challenges in detecting and moderating terrorist, extremist, and implicitly extremist content, while respecting freedom of expression’.
Approach
The NCTV works through the Strengthened Online Approach to coordinate efforts against specific online extremism and terrorism. This involves intensive cooperation with partners within the security domain, as well as in the youth domain and with online platforms. The findings and recommendations from this research align with this approach.
Besides addressing terrorist and illegal content, it is also necessary to pay attention to borderline content, as this content can contribute to the online radicalization process and the normalization of extremist ideology. The internet sector plays a crucial role here, and it is essential to continue working together. Safeguarding fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression, is essential in this.
The research was conducted at the request of the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), commissioned by the Scientific Research and Documentation Centre (WODC).
