Webinar - Extremist Narratives in Play: Gaming and Digital Spaces as Radicalization Arenas

The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) hosted an insightful third webinar on Extremist Narratives in Play: Gaming and Digital Spaces as Radicalization Arenas as part of the SMIDGE Project on November 27, 2024. The webinar, the third in a four-part series, brought together leading researchers and experts to examine how extremist narratives infiltrate gaming communities and digital platforms. 

Moderated by Ramadan Ilazi, Head of Research at KCSS, the session featured three distinguished speakers:

Prof. Ayhan Kaya, Political Scientist and Director of the European Institute, explored the concept of co-radicalization among nativist right-wing groups and self-identified Muslims in Europe. Drawing from his extensive research, Kaya highlighted shared grievances such as socioeconomic deprivation, nostalgic longing and alienation as core drivers of radicalization. He argued that these groups, despite ideological differences, are shaped by similar destabilizing forces and often co-radicalize due to a lack of communication and structural societal divides.

Dr. Rikke Alberg Peters, Associate Professor at Aarhus University and HistorieLab, provided insights into the psychological and social vulnerabilities of youth to online radicalization, referencing the Danish Holbæk case. She emphasized that offline mechanisms play a pivotal role in making individuals susceptible to online radicalization, which is often accelerated in digital spaces. Dr. Peters outlined strategies to counter these threats, including fostering intergroup dialogue, addressing social grievances and promoting education on hate speech and polarization.

Bledar Feta, International Relations Specialist and Research Fellow at ELIAMEP, presented findings from the GEMS Project, a Horizon Europe initiative investigating extremism in gaming ecosystems. Feta detailed a two-phase radicalization process: targeting and communication within gaming platforms, followed by grooming and mobilization in encrypted spaces. He called for collaborative action between gaming companies, policymakers, and educators to develop safety-by-design approaches, implement preventive measures and educate both gamers and parents about online risks.

Key Themes and Takeaways

The webinar examined how digital platforms, particularly gaming communities, have become breeding grounds for extremist narratives. Speakers discussed:

• Radicalization Mechanisms: Extremist groups leverage anonymity, algorithms and echo chambers to exploit vulnerabilities.

• Grievances and Belonging: Alienation and a sense of nostalgic deprivation were identified as central to the radicalization process.

• Policy Challenges: The fast-paced evolution of gaming technology and the anonymous nature of online interactions present significant obstacles for policymakers.
  

The speakers stressed the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to counter radicalization, including:

• Developing advanced monitoring tools

• Building spaces for intergroup dialogue and community interaction

• Engaging gamers, parents and stakeholders in creating effective preventive measures.
  

The final webinar in the series will further explore these challenges, with details to be announced soon.