Focus on internet risks missing radicalisation keys

Significance

The nature and spread of radical content online -- whether jihadist or right-wing supremicist -- and its link to terror attacks is a source of public and governmental concern. However, to date, no direct relationship has been proven between the consumption of terrorist-related online content alone and the adoption of an ideology leading to engagement in terrorism.

Impacts

• Research on countering terrorism would likely be more fruitful by shifting from why people radicalise to how.
• Cooperation between online organisations and policymakers is fundamental in combating the affordances the internet provides to terrorists.
• Social media companies may come under legal pressure from the families of terror victims.