Extremist Use of Online Spaces
Abstract
In this statement, we extrapolate from findings of earlier research on the online extremist ecosystem to examine how the internet may have helped foster conditions that contributed to the attack on the U.S. Capitol complex on January 6, 2021. Although the United States has experienced waves of violent extremism since its founding, and although some of the ideas espoused by the far-right extremists that participated in the attack predate the invention of the internet, such mob events in U.S. history have been rare. Existing research conducted at RAND and elsewhere suggests that online spaces may have fueled the spread of conspiracy theories and disinformation - in this case, related to false claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election - and provided extremists with new mechanisms to reach potentially receptive audiences. Moreover, online spaces have become incubators for a vicious, reinforcing cycle of polarization and propaganda. The events of January 6 demonstrated how dangerous this combination can be - and very little has changed since then to prevent those with an extreme agenda from reaching a broad audience or organizing conspiracies oriented toward undercutting American democracy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 25, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1167527
Entities
People
- Alexandra T. Evans
- Heather J. Williams
Organizations
- RAND Corporation