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CARR’s Technology Research Unit (TRU)

CARR’s Technology Research Unit (TRU)

About TRU

The Technology Research Unit of the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right will focus on the following priorities:

  1. Education. We will encourage and cultivate strong relationships between technology companies and subject matter experts for the purpose of mutual education, with the aim of reducing the harm done by radical right actors who are enabled by technology. To accomplish this, we aim to:
    • Participate with industry groups advisory groups such as GIFCT and Tech Against Terrorism and others;
    • Build relationships with stakeholders at technology companies, particularly social media platform companies;
    • Document through original research, white papers, and other public communications the specific ways that radical right groups are exploiting technology and online platforms for recruitment, planning, organizing, propagandizing, or harassing other people;
    • Recommend a variety of solutions to the difficult socio-technical problem of technology exploitation by the radical right.
  2. Research. We will conduct, promote, and expand research into open questions at the intersection of technology and the radical right, for example:
    • Online radicalization, including radicalization pathways and the role of algorithms;
    • Toxic online behaviors, including trolling, harassment, doxing, and hate speech;
    • Co-option of existing online subcultures to promote hate, including gaming communities, streaming platforms, and niche fandoms and the like;
    • Alt-Tech and the ever-changing landscape of technical infrastructure exploited by the radical right;
    • The use of machine learning and big data techniques for understanding the complex socio-technical landscape of the radical right.

Members

TRU Head: Professor Megan Squire (msquire@elon.edu)


Blyth Crawford
(@CrawfordBlyth)
Dr Julia DeCook
(jdecook@luc.edu)
Jaclyn Fox
(Jaclyn.fox@student.american.edu)
Ashton Kingdon
(a.r.kingdon@soton.ac.uk)

IRU News & Activities

Specific actions associated with these priorities could include:

  1. Participating in or serving on industry-aligned advisory partnerships;
  2. Consulting in policy formation around technology and its intersection with technology exploitation and related issues;
  3. Conducting and publicizing original research on the technical aspects of analyzing the radical right;
  4. Creating public-facing artifacts such as technical explainers, policy thinkpieces, or position papers;
  5. Participating in and holding video seminars, panels, or roundtables on mainstream or cutting-edge technology issues and how they affect analysis of the radical right;
  6. Advocating for new funding streams to support our education and research priorities from both government agencies and private sector stakeholders;
  7. Actively seeking out and applying for existing funding opportunities.