In 2019, Telegram took extensive action to remove Islamic State (IS) channels and supporters of the group from its platform. Telegram’s crackdown led to the attempted migration of IS supporters to apps like Hoop Messenger, Rocket.Chat and TamTam, with Hoop Messenger being the most popular encrypted social media platform for…

This Geneva Paper describes the main components of international counterterrorism law. In addition to the sectoral United Nations (UN) conventions on terrorism, international counterterrorism law encompasses rules across international humanitarian law and international criminal law, and its application is regulated by international human rights law. Also considered is the manner…

This is a translation of a report first published in German on 1 February 2023 under the title “Im digitalen Labyrinth: Rechtsextreme Strategien der Dezentralisierung im Netz und mögliche Gegenmaßnahmen”. In response to the increased deletion of hate content and conspiracy theorist accounts on YouTube and other mainstream sites, right-wing…

The vast majority of those engaging with radical ideas do not pursue radicalization trajectories to an endpoint of violent extremism. However, empirical research charting journeys of “non-radicalization” remains scarce. This article draws on ethnographic research tracing pathways through an “extreme right” milieu. It identifies a range of journeys – of…

This report details the modus operandi and the evolution of violent extremist groups over time. It examines how these groups have increased their influence as ideological affiliates of global terrorist organizations such as ISIL and Al-Qaeda and penetrated new areas by exploiting localized grievances, positioning themselves as alternative service providers…

The literature on terrorism and the rehabilitation of terrorists is growing continuously, but primary studies of high quality are still scarce. In many countries, the number of clients convicted of terrorist offences is increasing. As such, prison and probation services serve as important actors in the prevention of recidivism and…

Social media is a modern person’s digital voice to project and engage with new ideas and mobilise communities—a power shared with extremists. Given the societal risks of unvetted content-moderating algorithms for Extremism, Radicalisation, and Hate speech (ERH) detection, responsible software engineering must understand the who, what, when, where, and why such models are necessary…

This compendium brings together the collected work of RESOLVE’s 2018–2022 Community-Based Armed Groups Research Initiative. Launched in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development Africa Bureau, this research initiative sought to fill a gap in the literature on community-based armed groups in sub-Saharan Africa—often key actors in conflict-affected and…

To prevent radicalisation and violent extremism, many European countries have adopted a multiagency approach, consisting of both police, teachers and social workers. Such strategies have caused concern for a securitization of social policy and stigmatization of vulnerable groups. This study aims at gaining insight into how Norwegian social workers involved…

This study presents selective moral disengagement as a paradigm for analyzing extremist marketing messages and developing effective countermessages. Selective moral disengagement explicates eight mechanisms common to extremist media content that can influence seemingly ordinary people to support and commit atrocities. Through a qualitative content analysis, the author investigates the use…

While victims of terrorism undergo significant harm, there is currently no specific legal framework addressing their right to reparation. Certain regional provisions focus on establishing compensation funds under national law but do not explicitly acknowledge an existing right to reparation which includes restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non…

In its resolution 2462 (2019), the Security Council encourages competent national authorities, in particular financial intelligence units and intelligence services, to continue to establish effective partnerships with the private sector, including financial institutions, the financial technology industry and internet and social media companies, in particular with regards to the evolution of…