Domestic Extremists and Social Media: Study Finds Similarities, Differences in Web Habits of Those Engaged in Hate Crimes Vs. Violent Extremism

• NCJ Number: 304392
• Date Published: April 2022
• Grant Number(s): 2015-ZA-BX-0004
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Social Learning and Social Control in the Off and Online Pathways to Hate and Extremist Violence

Annotation

Research supported by the National Institute of Justice has found that study samples of individuals in the United States who have engaged in violent and non-violent hate crime and other forms of extremist crime were influenced by social media.

Abstract

Research supported by the National Institute of Justice has found that study samples of individuals in the United States who have engaged in violent and non-violent hate crime and other forms of extremist crime were influenced by social media. A key finding was that extremists in the study group may mirror the general population in their use of various social media platforms, particularly in terms of reliance on Facebook. Although the sample size was relatively small, and less than 20% of the study sample said they used Facebook, use of Facebook was found to be significantly higher than that of any other social media platform. Differences may also reflect diverging interests of individuals in the groups.