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Gaming and Alternative Platforms

ISD’s sector-leading research has identified a growing number of alternative and smaller platforms used by hateful, extremist and terrorist actors to spread illegal content and evade scrutiny. Our insights have deepened understandings of how online harms manifest on novel platforms, provided valuable intelligence on threats, and informed policymakers, regulators, technology companies and the wider research community on how to improve online safety across the evolving online ecosystem.

September 15, 2025

ISD experts join 2025 Eradicate Hate Summit, co-host Gaming and Hate working group

ISD experts returned to the Eradicate Hate Summit in Pittsburgh this week to co-host a working group on combatting misogyny in gaming.

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse

May 22, 2025

Did Adolescence cause a surge of users to an incel forum?

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Misogyny

October 14, 2024

Online Safety and the Regulation of Gaming Platforms and Services

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Tech Accountability and Safety, Terrorism and Extremism

June 18, 2024

Investigation 1: Teenage Gamer Personas

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Recommender Systems and Algorithms, Tech Accountability and Safety

December 19, 2023

Im toten Winkel – Rechtsextreme auf alternativen und etablierten Plattformen

Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Terrorism and Extremism

December 19, 2023

In the Blind Spot: Right-wing Extremists on Alternative and Established Platforms

Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Terrorism and Extremism

December 1, 2023

Active Clubs, a growing threat in the US and Canada

Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Terrorism and Extremism

November 20, 2023

Uisce Faoi Thalamh: Topic Analysis

Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Tech Accountability and Safety, Terrorism and Extremism

November 20, 2023

Uisce Faoi Thalamh: Platform Analysis

Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Tech Accountability and Safety, Tech Legislation and Regulation, Terrorism and Extremism

Further Reading

October 31, 2023

Online antisemitism soars, with a 51-fold surge in antisemitic YouTube comments following Hamas’ attack

Euronews covers ISD's investigation on rising online antisemitism on mainstream and fringe social media platforms following Hamas’ terrorist attack.

Antisemitism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse

October 10, 2023

Social media platforms inundated with unverified claims about Israel and Gaza

ISD's Executive Director for AMEA, Moustafa Ayad, told NPR about the dangers of unverified sources being left to gain traction around Israel and Gaza.

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Gaming and Alternative Platforms

September 20, 2023

Erforschung des sich im Wandel begriffenen Online-Ökosystems: Telegram, Discord und Odysee

This report is the German translation of our research on methodological approaches to analysing Telegram, Discord and Odysee.

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Tech Accountability and Safety, Threat Analysis and Prevention

September 19, 2023

Gen Z Digital Salafism

Salafism's strict rules, strong group identity, and rejection of mainstream Islamic norms attract Gen Z Muslims seeking a rebellious counterculture.

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

September 18, 2023

Rumble (Deutsch)

Rumble ist eine Videoplattform, die sich als YouTube-Alternative sieht.

Gaming and Alternative Platforms

September 11, 2023

Policy Approaches to Addressing Data Access Challenges in the Evolving Online Ecosystem

This report examines smaller platforms increasingly exploited by extremist, hate and disinformation actors and offers recommendations to counter this.

Data Access and Transparency, Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Tech Accountability and Safety, Tech Legislation and Regulation

August 24, 2023

Rumble

The video platform Rumble describes itself as a “free speech alternative” to the "Big Tech Giants”. In its quest to create a so-called 'new internet'

Gaming and Alternative Platforms

June 29, 2023

Gore and violent extremism: How extremist groups exploit ‘gore’ sites to view and share terrorist material

A new guest Digital Dispatch, authored by analysts from Human Digital, reveals that gore sites are being exploited by extremist groups as part of a br

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Tech Accountability and Safety

May 18, 2023

Case study: Alt-platform Discord, a haven for Islamist and Catholic extremist activity

This Dispatch examines how Islamist and Catholic extremists use Discord, highlighting the role of smaller social media platforms in online extremism.

Gaming and Alternative Platforms, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Terrorism and Extremism

May 12, 2023

On Odysee: The Role of Blockchain Technology for Monetisation in the Far-Right Online Milieu

This report studies how Odysee's blockchain-based approach appeals to the far-right.

Emerging Technologies, Far-Right Extremism, Gaming and Alternative Platforms

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