How big tech and policymakers miss the mark when fighting online extremism

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We are at an impasse. Legislative and corporate policies are designed to solve a specific problem for a particular stakeholder at a set time and place. In contrast, the online hate ecosystem is volatile, unpredictable, constantly changing, and deliberately confusing. Battling hate and extremism online has much in common with the attack-and-defend world of cybersecurity in which the attacker only has to successfully exploit one crack in the system, while the defender must guard 100% of it. So just like with cybersecurity, solving the problem of extremism online will include significant investment in expertise. As for policymakers, instead of cutting budgets for extremism prevention, why not expand them? Instead of creating distracting side shows and political theater that belie any real understanding of violent extremism and how it spreads, focus on hammering out long-term strategies to tackle an increasingly decentralized, encrypted internet and a rapidly expanding Alt-Tech ecosystem. Expertise and transparency remain critical to combating the spread of hate online. 


How big tech and policymakers miss the mark when fighting online extremism