Social Media Isn't Just Hosting the Far Right. It's Pushing Democracy to the Brink - VOX - Pol Social media algorithm radicalization shows how platforms' engagement incentives and profit models amplify extremism and reshape democratic discourse.

Great piece that aligns with our research on the role of social media amplifying far-right content.

voxpol.eu/social-media...

The impossible promise: are we witnessing the return of fascism? — The Guardian Some of today’s far right is openly violent and undemocratic – and even in its less extreme forms, far-right populism is a profound threat. But that doesn’t mean it is just a re-run of history

No pasarán.

apple.news/A77f_zEC_SrC...

Revealed: Mandelson failed vetting but Foreign Office overruled decision Guardian investigation uncovers decision by UK security officials to deny clearance before Mandelson took up role as US ambassador

Terminal for the PM?

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The emotional battlefield: Inside the tactics manipulating us online Social media isn’t just distracting us, it’s changing our emotional instincts, and experts warn that the threat to our democracy is rising.

A false majority.

Investigations in Scotland have already uncovered AI-generated accounts posing as local voters to influence public discourse…

Gulp.

www.scotsman.com/news/scotlan...

Reform candidate wants to ‘blast’ all Muslims ‘off the face of the earth’ Reform’s local elections campaign in Bradford is off to a bad start. Although party leaders said they have the best vetting procedures in Britain, HOPE not hate today exposes one of their candidates f...

Reform’s local elections campaign in Bradford is off to a terrible start ❌

hopenothate.org.uk/2026/04/16/r...

Elon Musk Scores a Victory Against Free Speech — Gizmodo The Trump regime thinks it should be illegal to not give Elon money.

“Because I said so” clause.

Joker.

apple.news/Ao-Db9Q7iSlu...

Trump’s DOJ to toss Jan 6 convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers — The Independent Jeanine Pirro asks to throw out cases against Stewart Rhodes and others convicted of treason-related charges and other crimes

Rewriting history. Giving mob violence a free pass. Words fail me.

apple.news/A0Rxa7kydRva...

European Far-Right Street Activity is Growing Bolder, Violent Across Europe, far-right movements are growing more aggressive, with a rise in vigilante patrols, harassment, and violence targeting migrants and vulnerable communities. From Hungary to France and Pol...

Across Europe, far-right movements are growing more aggressive, with a rise in harassment and violence targeting migrants and vulnerable communities. These actions, often fueled by conspiracy theories and amplified online, signaling a dangerous normalization of extremism in the streets.

"The Queen's a fraud": Reform UK Senedd candidate's dangerous conspiracy theories – HOPE not hate Reform UK Senedd candidate Emma Clatworthy called the late Queen “a fraud” who needs to be overthrown, claimed that “the government are actors”, and suggested...

🚨NEW: A Reform UK Senedd candidate has called the Queen “a fraud” who needs to be overthrown, along with espousing several dangerous conspiracy theories. Zia Yusuf has claimed the party has “the best vetting in the country”. Really?
hopenothate.org.uk/2026/04/15/t...

Charismatic Influencers, Certainty, and their effect on Polarisation Online Small increases in influencer appeal and activity can produce disproportionately large effects on polarisation online, rapidly driving communities toward entrenched division.

ONLINE | “Small increases in influencer appeal and activity can produce disproportionately large effects on polarisation online, rapidly driving communities toward entrenched division.” - CREST

crestresearch.ac.uk/comment/char...

US DoJ files for overturning January 6 convictions for far-right groups’ members — The Guardian Filing seeks to overturn seditious conspiracy charges of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers members who laid siege to US Capitol in 2021

Agog.

apple.news/AWKZ2VXowSPO...

NEW: ‘Hitler was right’, says star Reform activist – HOPE not hate By Harry Shukman and Sarah Hadley A well-known Reform activist who campaigned for the party in the forthcoming local elections has denied the Holocaust and...

NEW: ‘Hitler was right’, says one of Reform’s top activists, Aaron Lee Taylor

Taylor has campaigned from Reform’s head office and twice met Nigel Farage, has frequently shared material online that promotes Nazi Germany.

hopenothate.org.uk/2026/04/14/n...

Hungary Election: The blueprint for beating the far right? — Channel 4 News Hungary has woken up to a political earthquake. After more than a decade in power, Viktor Orbán has been defeated, with Péter Magyar securing a historic landslide victory in an election seen as a majo...

Shift away from populist politics?

Hopefully.

apple.news/ALFgDiQmWTd2...

Would YOU buy a used car from this man? – HOPE not hate A Reform candidate in Gateshead went bankrupt over an £8 million Debt. Now he wants to help run the council. As the famous election slogan...

NEW: A Reform UK candidate standing in Gateshead, was behind a car supermarket that went into liquidation owing an estimated £4.4m to creditors.

Customers who had placed deposits on cars were among those owed money. More than 50 staff lost their jobs.

hopenothate.org.uk/2026/04/14/w...

Trump's AI image of himself as Jesus-like figure follows feud with Pope Leo — Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure on Sunday, drawing widespread criticism even from some ​religious conservatives who typically support him, be...

Trump as Jesus?

American neo-fascism, fully through the looking glass.

Moses wept.

apple.news/AUau0assRS9e...

Southport attack blamed on ‘catastrophic’ failures by agencies and killer’s ‘irresponsible’ parents — The Guardian Official report says system ‘completely failed’ because some form of violence by Axel Rudakubana had been ‘unambiguously signposted over many years’

This is failure by design.

It is entirely possible, given age and behavioural markers of offenders online, to profile and pinpoint the highest risk individuals or groups and prevent this kind of tragedy.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Tommy Robinson asks why a questioner is called 'The Midnight'. “I never came out before 12 oclock at night and it was easier to scoop up the girls because they were all drunk.” TR laughs: "Great answer!" This after 2 hours claiming he defends women from predators. Wild hypocrisy.

Your brain might be wired for extremism. Here's what you can do about it — BBC Science Focus Magazine Scientists are uncovering why some of us are more vulnerable to extreme ideologies than others July 20, 2025 In a world that feels increasingly polarised, many of us know someone who has fallen into a...

PSYCHOLOGY | What really matters is how you believe in something, not what you believe. 

Why some brains are more susceptible to extreme ideologies than others.

apple.news/A96eC9ziJSTi...

Far Right Leader Viktor Orbán Ousted by Voters After 16 Years in Power. Here’s What That Means — TIME The longtime Prime Minister's defeat could reshape Hungary's ties to the E.U., Ukraine, and the global far-right movement he helped inspire.

Good stuff.

apple.news/A8zQWaFMwQQK...

The Nihilistic Violent Extremist Ecosystem: A Global Threat Youth radicalization is fast becoming a worldwide epidemic. Explore how nihilistic extremist networks recruit, radicalise and operate across digital platforms.

Excellent Youth Rad piece…

www.visionofhumanity.org/the-nihilist...

AI | People who show violent extremist tendencies on ChatGPT to be directed to human and chatbot‑based deradicalisation support…

m-economictimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/m.econom...

ONLINE | Users who are involved in spreading hate speech do not behave randomly but they have clear behavior patterns.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

ART Research papers The Analysis and Research Team (ART) is the Council’s in-house research service. It produces a wide range of papers and research publications.

Conspiracy to disinformation.

www.consilium.europa.eu/en/documents...

Faith as a Weapon: Inside America’s Theocratic Vanguard Christian nationalism and theocratic extremists didn’t just inspired Jan 6 — they’ve taken over key parts of government, weaponizing faith to dismantle democracy and impose an authoritarian theocratic regime that silences dissent. This poses a direct threat to America’s future.

Faith as a Weapon uncovers how Christian nationalism fueled January 6 and is now embedding a theocratic and authoritarian agenda within the U.S. government. The report profiles key leaders, explores their ideology, & exposes the political power driving these authoritarian policies.

Read our report:

US accused of pressuring Latin America to cut ties with Cuban doctors program Cuba accuses US of ‘extorting’ countries in pushing them to axe deals with Havana to send doctors on medical missions

CUBA | “The US government is persecuting, pressuring, and extorting other governments to end the presence of Cuban Medical Brigades in various countries, under false pretenses,”

Correct.

apple.news/A63fJV1k9QTO...

Great monthly round up!

observatorioterrorismo.com/analisis/ana...

The four ways Putin just got more dangerous for UK - thanks to Trump — The i Paper Donald Trump's threat of leaving Nato could be exploited by Russia - with disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks or damage to underwater critical infrastructure

UK more susceptible to cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and harm to critical infrastructure under the sea from Russia.

apple.news/Aq5SqwMhKTzm...

The Company You Keep: The Extremists Flocking to Restore Britain  – HOPE not hate HOPE not hate explores the ethnonationalists who have lined up behind Restore Britain. When will leader Rupert Lowe disavow his party’s fascist fanbase? Restore Britain...

Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain has been attracting more and more extreme figures, including fascists and ethnonationalists.

Why do these people see Lowe as their man?

And why has Lowe refused to disavow them?

hopenothate.org.uk/2026/04/08/t...

How a Russian influence network is spreading anti-Ukrainian propaganda in Ivory Coast — FRANCE 24 English The Company – a network of Russian agents specialised in disinformation operations – has been carrying out a vast propaganda campaign against the Ukrainian embassy in Ivory Coast. When the pan-African...

Bad company.

apple.news/A9MNh13epQ5q...

UK government to hold emergency meeting over far-right Islamophobic riots as dozens are arrested — The New Arab UK government to hold emergency meeting over far-right Islamophobic riots as dozens are arrested

UK | Social media platform X under increased scrutiny in recent days as many have accused far-right individuals and public figures of peddling misinformation and fuelling the riots.

apple.news/All1LWBhvSjm...