Our Expertise
Leading the fight against extremist propaganda, weaponised hate and influence operations
ISD is the leading international organisation focused on combatting extremist propaganda, polarisation, and hostile foreign information operations. Working closely with law enforcement and governments, we strengthen national security by providing threat analysis and prevention to a range of stakeholders while also promoting platform accountability.
Our expertise and analysis enables ISD to provide advisory support to more than 40 governments and over 290 cities facing threats from extremism. We have also developed innovative strategic communications models which have been delivered to millions of online users, and trained tens of thousands of frontline practitioners to counter extremism.
Summary
ISD has tracked the evolving playbook of extremism across the ideological spectrum for nearly 20 years. Our analysis has supported strategic responses by governments, tech companies and communities globally. We have pioneered cutting-edge strategic communication approaches and innovative interventions to counter indoctrination and recruitment targeting communities.
ISD’s definition of extremism is the advocacy of political and social change in line with a system of belief that claims the superiority and dominance of one identity-based ‘in-group’ over an ‘out-group.’ Extremism advances a dehumanising ‘othering’ mindset incompatible with pluralism and universal human rights. It can be pursued through violent or non-violent means. ISD works to understand and address all ideologies which undermine democratic norms and human rights.
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Summary
Online ecosystems have an enormous impact on the offline world. Our threat analysis and prevention practice involves monitoring online extremist ideologies, hostile states and other bad actors to identify and mitigate potential threats before they escalate into offline violence or criminal behaviour. Our team of digital analysts and subject matter experts can research and track a range of bad actors - including extremist groups, radicalised individuals and hostile states - to detect and prevent violent threats.
ISD offers a unique rapid response capability: we can provide partners with real-time analysis of incidents (from global conflicts to politically motivated attacks) at nearly any hour. This support helps stakeholders swiftly respond to evolving crises and minimise harm on the ground. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to learn more about this work.
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Weaponised hate and polarisation have increasingly moved from the fringes into the mainstream of political discussions. This has manifested in threats to and violence against individuals, groups and communities. Radical political parties advance hate into the mainstream, amplified by hostile state actors. At the same time, a range of extremist movements threaten violence and harassment against communities based on their identity.
ISD defines hate as an activity which seeks to dehumanise, demonise, harass, threaten or incite violence against an individual or community based on their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability or migrant status.
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ISD is at the forefront of identifying state and non-state actor information manipulation. Our global work has mitigated attempts to harm or manipulate audiences across social media platforms, through emerging crises, conflicts and elections. Our team has detected, analysed and exposed disinformation, misinformation and manipulative online tactics on five continents since 2019. ISD emphasises evidencing the impact of influence efforts on democracies and the failings of tech companies to restrict such efforts.
Information operations are coordinated efforts by state or non-state actors to manipulate or influence public opinion through the spread of disinformation, misinformation, propaganda and other deceptive tactics.
Disinformation is false, misleading or manipulated content presented as fact, that is intended to deceive or harm. Misinformation is false, misleading or manipulated content presented as fact, irrespective of an intent to deceive.
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We believe tech companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe and designed in a way that protects and fosters both democracy and human rights. However, as research from ISD and many others has consistently shown, social media platforms and associated technologies often facilitate the spread of extremism, terrorism, hate and information manipulation online. This has been linked to a range of on-and-offline harms, including inciting violence, amplifying disinformation and conspiracy theories, enabling hate speech and harassment, increasing political polarisation, and facilitating radicalisation. The absence of regulatory oversight has meant that tech companies have too often not been held accountable for these harms while public-interest researchers continue to face barriers to studying the inner workings and impacts of their platforms.
Tech accountability is the responsibility of social media platforms to ensure their products are safe, transparent, and adhere to ethical design principles. It involves answering for their actions—or inactions—that contribute to or exacerbate online harms, as well as committing to regulatory oversight and transparency to create a safer, more responsible digital ecosystem.
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Education in issues such as digital citizenship is a pathway to social cohesion and resilience against extremism. For decades, ISD has worked with civil society, governments and multinational businesses to build new tools and resources to educate communities. This includes our current Business Council For Democracy (BC4D), a joint initiative of the Hertie Stiftung, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ISD Germany, which trains German employees on issues related to democratic processes and online harms.
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With more than 290 member cities and local authorities, Strong Cities is an independent, apolitical, global network of cities dedicated to addressing hate, extremism and other threats to social cohesion.
Launched at the United Nations in 2015, Strong Cities fills a critical gap in efforts that have typically overlooked the important role cities can and must play in addressing these threats. The network provides a unique forum for members to engage, learn and share best practices with each other.
