The UK is the heaviest consumer of online jihadist propaganda in Europe and the fifth highest in the world, according to a new report from the centre-right think tank Policy Exchange
The report, titled The NewNetwar, says extremists are using a “vast ecosystem” of platforms, including encrypted messaging apps and other social media outlets, reaching tens of thousands of people around the globe.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Police Exchange says the UK public would likely support toughers laws to criminalise the consumption of material that promotes terrorism.
“Under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000,” the BBC says, “it is currently an offence to possess information that could assist a would-be terrorist, but not material which glorifies terrorism.”
The report also says that, contrary to other claims, the output of extremist content has remained consistent over the past three years, despite groups such as Islamic State suffering heavy losses in that time.
“An average week will see over 100 new core articles, videos and newspapers produced by Isis and disseminated across a vast ecosystem of platforms, file-sharing services, websites and social media,” it says.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Do the Freemasons have too much sway in the police force?Podcast Plus, what does the growing popularity of prediction markets mean for the future? And why are UK film and TV workers struggling?
-
Properties of the week: pretty thatched cottagesThe Week Recommends Featuring homes in West Sussex, Dorset and Suffolk
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures An explosive meal, a carnival of joy, and more
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
