Examining the Influence of Extremist Group Membership on Online Behavior Among Violent and Non-Violent Right-Wing Extremists

• In Event: Their Own Words: Online Behavior, Manifestos, and Techniques of Neutralization

Abstract

There is an ongoing need for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to identify violent extremists online before their engagement in violence offline. However, there is little empirical knowledge about their digital footprints in general or differences in their posting behaviors compared to their non-violent counterparts in particular. Even less is empirically known about the relationship between their group membership and their online posting behaviors. This study drew from a unique sample of violent and non-violent right-wing extremists to examine the influence of extremist group membership on online behaviors in a sub-forum of the largest white supremacy web-forum. Analyses for the current study proceeded in two phases. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine differences in dormancy risk based on whether users were members of a right-wing extremist group. Survival analysis was then used to visually plot these differences in dormancy rates across the study period delineated by violence status and group membership. The results highlight several noteworthy posting behaviors that may assist law enforcement and intelligence agencies in identifying credible threats online. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the analysis, its limitations, and avenues for future research.

Authors

• Ryan Scrivens, Michigan State University

• Thomas Wojciechowski, Michigan State University

• Tiana Gaudette, Michigan State University

• Joshua Freilich, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

• Steven Chermak, Michigan State University

• Richard Frank, Simon Fraser University