Online Civil Courage Initiative

ISD’s Digital Research Unit has started to conduct a series of briefings on the information ecosystem around coronavirus (COVID-19). These briefings expose how technology platforms are being used to promote disinformation, hate, extremism and authoritarianism in the context of COVID-19. Under these links you can find the first two papers:
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/covid-19-disinformation-briefing-no-1/
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/covid-19-disinformation-briefing-no-2/

Covid-19 Disinformation Briefing No.1 - ISD This report presents the findings of a research project of ISD’s Digital Analysis Unit about the alternative online-ecosystem of the far-right, including alternative social media platforms and alternative media outlets. While these platforms draw in a global audience this report focuses specifical...

« Finding France » Check out More In Common's new study which shows growing polarization within the French society, suggesting "three Frances are living in parrell". You can find the executive summary here:

www.lafranceenquete.fr

ISD's latest research report - “Mapping hate online” - is now live. The report explores 11 types of hateful online discourse across a range of platforms. Click here to read the report in French or English:

Publications Archive - ISD This report presents the findings of a research project investigating the scale and nature of online hateful speech in France. It examines different categories of hateful speech, spanning race, gender, sexuality, religion and disability.

The new Campaign Toolkit, produced by ISD, is an excellent resource for the production of counterspeech campaigns that challenge extremist discourse online, providing step-by-step guides and best practices.
Check out the website below and see how you can help challenge extremism and hate speech online!

Campaign Toolkit The Campaign Toolkit is a free resource for individuals or organisations looking to create and deploy campaigns against hate, polarisation and extremism. It is intended as a starting-point or a guide for those interested in developing and running social good campaigns, regardless of experience.

A new study from Cambridge University highlights dissatisfaction with democracy within developed countries has never been as high in the past 25 years. Find out more about this here:

Dissatisfaction with democracy 'at record high' A global study warns of rising levels of discontent with democracy, particularly in the UK and US.

Beca Lewis writes about radicalisation on YouTube and argues that it is not only the algorithm, but also the far right celebrity culture and community we have to worry about.

All of YouTube, Not Just the Algorithm, is a Far-Right Propaganda Machine YouTube’s celebrity culture and community dynamics play a major role in the amplification of far-right content

“How to fight the far right? Invite them in – the German museum taking on hate.” A piece about the role cultural institutions can play in fighting far-right extremism.

How to fight the far right? Invite them in – the German museum taking on hate Dresden has declared itself in the grip of a ‘Nazi emergency’. But when one museum boss was targeted by extremists, she opened her doors to talk

Want to know more about content moderation and how it relates hate speech online? Take a look at the online platform Facing Facts, which offers free 6-hour courses on the topic, available in French, English and German!

Facing Facts Online: Log in to the site

Freedom online - the NGO Freedom House just released its latest version of an Interactive Map exploring Freedom online in 2019 looking at 65 countries.The main conclusion: freedom online has further declined in 2019! For more on this take a look here:

The Crisis of Social Media | Freedom House What was once a liberating technology has become a conduit for surveillance and electoral manipulation.Internet freedom is increasingly imperiled by the tools and tactics of digital authoritarianism, which have spread rapidly around the globe. Repressive regimes, elected incumbents with authoritaria...

ISDs new report on interventions is out: "An imprecise science: Assessing interventions for the prevention, disengagement and de-radicalisation of left and right-wing extremists"

An imprecise science: Assessing interventions for the prevention, disengagement and de-radicalisation of left and right-wing extremists - ISD This briefing paper highlights Al Qaeda content available on YouTube and Facebook and exposes the continued persistence of gaps in the companies’ ability to identify and remove content, which they have committed to doing.