Digital Analysis Unit
ISD’s Digital Analysis Unit is dedicated to better understanding how extremist and hate groups use technology.
The rise of social media has revolutionised the activities of extremist groups and hate actors. Working with strategic technology partners, ISD’s team of analysts use data analytics, natural language processing, OSINT techniques and rigorous ethnographic research to develop a real-time understanding of extremist networks, movements and narratives online.
The Digital Analysis Unit has the most advanced open source online data analytics, risk identification and evaluation capabilities available in the counter-extremism and disinformation fields. We are able to analyse specific types of hate and extremist speech and content online, with methodological rigour and transparency. We can detect instances of the covert manipulation of content, identities and behaviours to spread false information or to mislead the public. We can map the scale of extremist or disinformation networks across platforms and audiences.
We use these insights to help policymakers and tech companies craft informed policy responses to hate and disinformation, and to help communities mount responses at the local level.
Our Hate Mapper allows us to identify hateful, polarising and divisive discourse and geo-locate online posts to state, county or city level. This provides granular insights to local practitioners, enabling them to target their responses.
Our strategic partnership with the Centre for Analysis of Social Media (CASM LLP) blends our subject-matter expertise with advanced and evolving technology, ensuring we can understand and adapt to new platforms and technologies as they emerge.
Our combination of data analytics, OSINT and ethnographic research approaches allows us to better understand how bad actors leverage social media and online communications to recruit and spread propaganda and disinformation online.
Our work on elections leverages the Digital Analysis Unit’s analysis and approach to understand threats to democracy and human rights from disinformation and online manipulation targeting democratic processes and outcomes.
ISD’s Digital Analysis Unit

Milo Comerford
Head of Policy & Research, Counter-Extremism


Jiore Craig
Head of Digital Integrity

Jiore Craig
Head of Digital Integrity

Jacob Davey
Head of Research & Policy, Far-right and Hate Movements


Jennie King
Head of Civic Action and Education


Henry Tuck
Head of Policy & Programmes


Till Baaken
Senior Manager, Projects and Development, ISD Germany


Jasmine El-Gamal
Senior Manager, AMEA

Jasmine El-Gamal
Senior Manager, AMEA

Cooper Gatewood
Senior Digital Research Manager

Cooper Gatewood
Senior Digital Research Manager

Charlotte Moeyens
Senior Manager, Networks & Civic Action

Charlotte Moeyens
Senior Manager, Networks & Civic Action

Mauritius Dorn
Digital Policy Fellow

Mauritius Dorn
Digital Policy Fellow

Jakob Guhl
Research Manager


Dominik Hammer
Research Manager, ISD Germany

Dominik Hammer
Research Manager, ISD Germany

Christian Schwieter
Project Manager, Policy and Research, ISD Germany


Cécile Simmons
Research Manager

Cécile Simmons
Research Manager

Kata Balint
Analyst


Lea Gerster
Analyst

Lea Gerster
Analyst

Mackenzie Hart
Analyst

Mackenzie Hart
Analyst

Sasha Moriniere
Analyst

Sasha Moriniere
Analyst

Sara Bundtzen
Research and Policy Associate, ISD Germany

Sara Bundtzen
Research and Policy Associate, ISD Germany

Paula Matlach
Research Associate

Paula Matlach
Research Associate