Recording: Extremism and Gaming Research Network Launch

Dr Jessica White

6 October 202160 Minute Watch

Members of the EGRN set the scene for the research agenda of the Network and discuss existing research and recent findings on gaming and extremism.

Watch the event recording

Overview

As the coronavirus pandemic has pushed more people online, interest is increasing in how violent extremists might be exploiting online gaming networks. Games themselves are not the key concern – video gaming can also be a source of resilience for many – but socialisation inside gaming-related spaces reveals a real and pressing problem. From neo-Nazis and other far-right groups to Islamic State, those seeking to instigate hate and violence for their ideological ends are finding new platforms to do so as traditional social media platforms crack down on their content. New platforms, including the chat application Discord, live-streaming sites such as Twitch, online games like Fortnite, and gaming platforms like Steam, are rife with extremist content and recruiters. Yet research into gaming and radicalisation remains sparse and outdated.

The newly established Extremism and Gaming Research Network (EGRN) intends to fill this gap by evidencing how malign extremist actors may be using gaming for harmful purposes. EGRN also seeks to partner with gaming companies and governments to counter potential misuse and to use gaming for good, fostering resilience in online communities.

In this webinar, members of the EGRN will set the scene for the research agenda of the Network and discuss existing research and recent findings on gaming and extremism, as well as insights on how digital interventions can be used to counter the spread of hate and extremism in gaming environments. An annotated bibliography on the topic, entitled ‘State of Play: Reviewing the Literature on Gaming and Extremism’, will also be launched at the event.