ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)

Evidence suggests that a white supremacist group called the Aryan Freedom Network is preparing for a “racial holy war.” You can learn more about the group’s history, ideologies and activities in ISD’s latest Explainer. https://lnkd.in/dwr-EcZm

Since Trump's election & the subsequent rise in online misogyny, some women are joining movements like 4B, a South Korean-founded separatist group rejecting relationships w/ men. ISD’s Cécile Simmons writes about the global backlash against women's rights and the responses it’s sparking. https://lnkd.in/d_f_uJeZ

ISD’s Max Read spoke with NBC News about left-wing election fraud claims in the wake of Trump's victory. He noted "limited engagement" and better platform moderation, but it's uncertain if these narratives will gain lasting traction. Read the full story here. https://lnkd.in/dRNgfYHx

With a supposed presence in 34 states, the Aryan Freedom Network (AFN) is a nationwide neo-Nazi organization in the US that embraces antisemitic, racist and national socialist ideas. Our latest ISD Explainer delves into the history, ideologies and activities of the AFN. Established in 2018 as a white supremacist networking site, the AFN transitioned into a full-fledged organization and began accepting members in 2022, with an emphasis on unifying factions within the white nationalist movement. The AFN holds white supremacist beliefs and heavily supports Christian Identity, antisemitism and anti-LGBTQ+ ideologies. AFN’s offline activities include propaganda distribution, private in-person events to unite competing white nationalist factions and rallies. The group has also held many anti-LGBTQ+ protests in multiple states, with more notable protests occurring in Indiana, Illinois and Texas. Despite claiming not to endorse violence, evidence suggests that the group is preparing for a “racial holy war,” conducts firearms training sessions and encourages members to practice survivalist prepping in response. You can find the full AFN Explainer along with others on our website. https://lnkd.in/dwr-EcZm

Deadline 29 Nov! ISD is looking for several Digital Methods & Policy Managers/Senior Managers to support in our Digital Analysis Unit in developing methods to monitor risks and assess platform mitigations using social media data under the EU’s DSA. More info below. https://lnkd.in/d5yQ92_d

Deadline 22 Nov! Do you speak English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Czech or Slovak? ISD is looking for several Consultant Research Analysts to analyse & report on VLOPSEs' compliance with the EU’s DSA across key risks. This is a 1-year fixed contract, averaging 10 days per month. https://lnkd.in/dSf7gkSb

Election fraud conspiracy theories have resurfaced, with "BlueAnon" linking Elon Musk's Starlink to VP Kamala Harris's defeat. ISD's Elise Thomas tells WIRED how influencers fuel these left-wing claims for clout, spreading narratives through "collective storytelling." https://lnkd.in/ds8ikBev

ISD analysis of domestic extremist online activity across the ideological spectrum around the US elections shows a 70% increase in cross-platform posting activity in the week leading up to the polls, followed by a sudden drop off the day after results were announced. Almost 1/3 of all posts from extremists during this period were explicitly related to elections, with extremist claims about election fraud peaking on November 6, with over 3,000 mentions. However, these dropped by more than half the day after the presidential race was called. Anti-migrant narratives – including calls for mass deportation - also increased substantially during election week, with a 200% increase between October 31 and November 6, and remaining elevated after the election. ISD found that anti-government extremist accounts were the most active extremist threat actors around the election period, making up roughly 40% of all online extremist activity analyzed, with activity peaking on election day. Despite the increase in online extremist activity leading up to the election, it’s important to recognize that this activity drastically dropped to some of the lowest amounts seen in months following the results. ISD will continue to monitor online extremist activity, and our full report is available now. https://ow.ly/m5aK50U80VL

ISD's report on the increased use of phrases like "your body, my choice" & "get back in the kitchen" post-election has been covered by Bloomberg, CNN & others. Co-author Isabelle Frances-Wright told NBC News about the "alarming" influence of hateful online figures on the behavior of other young men. https://lnkd.in/d3sgYyRR

AI-generated content has become increasingly difficult to spot. With many relying on outdated verifying methods, users find it hard to trust anything they see on social media, failing 52% of the time, ISD finds. Our study on the effect this had on the US elections below. https://lnkd.in/diEUNn5t