On the Fringe: Analysis of Violent Discourse on Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism on Less Regulated Social Media Platforms

Smaller, less-regulated social media platforms are increasingly exploited and misused for sharing and communicating harmful and violent ideological grievances. In some instances, these platforms are used to facilitate and express support for real-world acts of violence inspired by ideologically motivated violent extremist (IMVE) grievances. The following paper aims to better understand the role of smaller, less-regulated platforms in facilitating a hospitable environment for IMVE narratives, messaging, and activity. The research is guided by two questions: (1) How does the trajectory of violent discourse manifest on smaller, less-regulated social media platforms? (2) What is the level of user engagement (i.e., comments) with violent content inspired by ideologically motivated violent extremism? Using four original datasets built using data from 4chan's /pol/ board, the paper provides analysis that better situates our understanding of the impact of online violent discourse in inciting and inspiring acts of real-world violence.