New technologies and P/CVE: threats and opportunities for practitioners

Summary

This conclusion paper from a RAN (Radicalisation Awareness Network) small-scale expert meeting examines the threats and opportunities posed by emerging technologies for practitioners working in the field of preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). Convened online on 26 March 2024, the meeting brought together experts to review four categories of technological developments: decentralised technologies and decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs); augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and gaming platforms; generative artificial intelligence (AI); and synthetic content on social media. The paper highlights that while extremists are often early adopters of new technologies, adoption depends on whether the technology facilitates their objectives. Key threats identified include: DAOs enabling unregulated funding mechanisms and creating "digital caliphates" or online extremist sanctuaries; gaming and VR/AR spaces presenting moderation challenges due to diverse surfaces, unique subcultures, and limited P/CVE investment, creating fertile ground for radicalisation; generative AI facilitating the mass production of high-quality extremist propaganda, tailored communications, and unrestricted large language models trained on extremist ideologies that provide detailed instructions for violence; and synthetic content on social media enabling identity manipulation, evasion of detection, and the spread of disinformation through AI-generated voices and deepfakes. The paper provides a stage-based threat assessment—from vulnerability to radicalisation, to radicalising, to commitment to violence—and offers corresponding prevention recommendations across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Opportunities identified include leveraging generative AI for incident monitoring, law enforcement information compilation, developing risk profiles, and creating chatbots as first-point-of-contact support; using decentralised technologies for safe communication with human rights activists and whistle-blowers; and exploring decentralised finance for P/CVE initiative funding. The paper emphasises the importance of digital literacy, platform moderation improvements (including AI-content labelling), practitioner engagement with gaming cultures, and overcoming trust barriers for disengagement. It concludes that technology and extremism evolve faster than policy, and regular multi-stakeholder exchange between public, private, and civil society actors is essential to keep pace with emerging threats.

Keywords

new technologies, P/CVE, practitioners, threats, opportunities