Joana Cook and Graig Klein Awarded Google Trust & Safety Research Grant
Dr. Joana Cook and Dr. Graig Klein, assistant professors at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs of Leiden University, have been awarded a Google Trust & Safety Research Award for their project Countering Violent Extremist Content Online: A Multidisciplinary Approach.
Their research focuses on the growing problem of violent extremist content online, especially as new technologies like generative AI are being used to spread such material.
A new approach to countering extremism
The project aims to develop innovative strategies to tackle the exploitation of online platforms by extremist groups. While countering extremist content has been a priority in counterterrorism efforts for years, the increasing diversity of online extremist material, including ‘lawful but awful’ content that can trigger radicalisation, presents new challenges. Additionally, advancements in technology, such as AI-generated propaganda, further complicate these issues.
Joana Cook and Graig Klein are working on moving from reacting to problems to preventing them. Their research focuses on finding ways to deal with emerging threats before they grow, with an emphasis on creating practical strategies to stop radicalisation early.
Joana Cook: ‘This research proposes a ground-breaking approach, investigating how and when traditional content moderation tactics should be integrated with online interventions, such as redirecting, search ranking, and pre-bunking, to counter online content and interdict radicalisation processes. We are particularly interested in how new technologies – AI specifically – can be used to facilitate or counter this phenomenon.’
Multidisciplinary impact
The research adopts a multidisciplinary approach, combining expertise from terrorism studies, digital innovation, and policy analysis. By investigating and testing best practices for moderating and countering extremist content and the exploitation of generative AI, the project aims to inform security policies and strengthen collaboration between public and private sectors.
The complex nature of online radicalisation requires insights from various fields. With this funding, the researchers are addressing these challenges and developing strategies that are effective and forward-looking.
Graig Klein: ‘One part of the project will develop a series of survey experiments examining the effectiveness and efficacy of different teach-based tools to help develop best-practices and evaluation metrics for intervention and mitigation.’
Improving online safety
The Google Trust & Safety Research Award supports research with the potential to improve global online safety. The outcomes of this project are expected to benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, and practitioners, by contributing to more effective online safety strategies and policy solutions.
This initiative aligns with the researchers’ commitment to tackling contemporary security challenges through rigorous, multidisciplinary research.
For more information on the Google Trust & Safety Research Award, visit the Google Trust & Safety Research website.