Extremist ‘educational’ resources radicalising young people online

Leaflets, study guides, reading lists and activities advocating for an “alternative curriculum” of white nationalist and racist ideals have been disseminated online and through various platforms. The author? British far-right group Patriotic Alternative.

ISD’s Julia Ebner spoke to the Guardian about the rise of these materials during the COVID-19 pandemic and their ongoing influence and uptake by parents and young people.

“They are basically providing materials for school pupils or children to educate themselves on being racist and in antisemitic conspiracy theories,” Julia told the Guardian.

The article also references ISD’s report Gaming and Extremism: The Extreme Right on Discord.

Jacob Davey, one of the report’s authors, said “[these extremists are] not going down to the backroom of the shady pub in south London, they are much more likely to be logging on to a Discord server or Telegram chat channel.” They also hold online gaming tournaments as a way to attract young people to their movement.

Julia spoke of the wider impacts of extremists materials reaching and influencing young audiences, “There might also be bigger problems for the future of our democracy and our political system, if an increasing number of young people endorse ideas like the ‘Great Replacement’ [conspiracy theory].”