How Social Media is Being Weaponised for Radicalisation — Gordon Alley-Young

This episode of The IR thinker examines how social media shapes contemporary radicalisation, from recruitment strategies and message design to the spread of counternarratives, algorithmic amplification and the use of encrypted platforms. The discussion with Dr Gordon Alley-Young explores practical and ethical challenges in detecting and limiting extremist content, international cooperation between states and platforms, and the tools available to counter radical messages and online fundraising for extremism.Gordon Alley YoungDr Gordon Alley-Young is Professor of Speech Communication and dean at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York. His research focuses on intercultural communication and postcolonialism in popular culture, with particular attention to education, culture, identity, gender, class and sexuality.Publications:Army Recruitment of Ethnic MinoritiesSocial Media and Terrorist FinancingArticulating Identity: Refining Postcolonial and Whiteness Perspectives on Race within Communication StudiesContent00:00 - Introduction02:04 - The Role of Social Media in the Radicalisation Recruitment Process10:17 - Crafting Effective Messages on Social Media Platforms12:05 - Counternarratives and Their Impact on Social Media20:34 - Manipulating Algorithms: Influence on Social Media Content26:51 - Detecting and Limiting Radical Content on Social Media32:37 - International Cooperation: Combating Radical Content Across Borders37:58 - Account Verification on Social Media42:53 - Encrypted Messaging Apps and Their Connection to Radicalisation53:17 - Fundraising for Terrorism and Extremism on Social Media58:54 - Strategies for Addressing Radical Messages and Banners on Social MediaFollow & Further ResourcesSubstack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ir-thinker/X: https://x.com/irthinker_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/irthinkerfb Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.