SMIDGE Project

In a world flooded with information, media literacy is a key skill for making sense of it all.?? Being able to access, analyse and evaluate information for accuracy and reliability empowers us to make informed decisions. How can we better understand the intent behind the media we consume? Here are some useful tips by Learning for Justice:

What is critical thinking, and why does it matter? Critical thinking goes beyond simply analysing information—it’s an active, dialogic process. Research shows that engaging in argumentation helps us develop the skills to support claims with evidence, understand opposing viewpoints and strengthen our problem-solving abilities. Join our latest #SmidgeCast episode to explore how dialogic practices like argumentation shape our ability to think critically, collaborate and drive positive change. ?? Listen on Youtube: buff.ly/3UB3xXx Listen on Spotify: buff.ly/3Zi0fva

??? Don't miss the upcoming #SmidgeWebinar “Extremist Narratives in Play – Gaming & Online Radicalization.” In this session, we will examine how gaming and online platforms have become powerful channels for the spread of extremist narratives. We’ll explore the cultural, psychological and technical dynamics at play in these digital spaces and discuss strategies to counter their influence. Register here: https://buff.ly/4hw7sz1

??? Our SMIDGE colleague Line Nybro Petersen from the University of Copenhagen will be speaking at the “Disinformation in a Year of Elections” conference in Copenhagen on November 18, organized by @nordishub. She will discuss the crucial topic of conspiracy theories and #misinformation during the U.S. Presidential Election. ?? Register for online attendance here: https://buff.ly/4fIeFtZ For more information about the conference: https://buff.ly/4fIg58p #NORDIS #Disinformation #USPresidentialElection #DigitalMedia #Election2024

Insightful day at the European Parliament workshop on "AI as a Tool to Promote Democracy"! We explored the intersection of AI, democratic values, and public engagement—critical topics as the EU shapes its AI priorities. Key Takeaways: ? EU priorities for AI and democracy ? AI’s role in protecting democratic values ? Tackling disinformation with AI ? AI as a tool for civic engagement #FutureofAI #DigitalEthics #AIandDemocracy #CivicTech

How do social media platforms shape public opinion and influence our perception of elections? In the latest episode of the #SmidgeCast, Kalypso Iordanou from @UCLanCyprus discusses the critical role of critical thinking in today's digital age. Individuals often oversimplify complex issues when forming opinions, particularly in the context of elections. ?? Listen to the full episode here on YouTube: https://buff.ly/3YVAIYA Spotify: https://buff.ly/4endizG #CriticalThinking #DigitalAge #Election2024 #SocialMediaImpact #PublicOpinion #USElections #PoliticalEngagement

Announcing our next #SmidgeWebinar: "Extremist Narratives in Play: Gaming and Digital Spaces as Radicalization Arenas" This session will explore how gaming and digital spaces have increasingly become platforms for extremist narratives. We’ll be exploring cultural, psychological and technical dynamics, with special attention on the growing impact of these narratives on the 45-65 age group. Register here: https://buff.ly/4hw7sz1 The panel includes: ?? Prof. Ayhan Kaya, Professor of Politics at Istanbul Bilgi University and Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics of Interculturalism. Prof. Kaya is a political scientist specializing in international relations and the social impacts of digital spaces, with particular insight into interculturalism and the role of identity in extremist narratives. ?? Dr. Rikke Alberg Peters, Associate Professor at HistoryLab, University College Lillebaelt. With a PhD in History of Ideas from Aarhus University and research experience at LSE, Dr. Peters brings expertise in online extremism, particularly how radical ideologies evolve and spread within online environments. ?? Bledar Feta, Research Fellow at ELIAMEP, specializing in public policy and international affairs across the Western Balkans. Bledar has led EU and UN-funded projects tackling violent extremism, disinformation and online recruitment, bringing a nuanced understanding of both digital and community-based strategies in countering radicalization. The session will be moderated by our own Ramadan Ilazi, Head of Research at KCSS, who brings a wealth of expertise in digital security and radicalization. #KCSSQKSS #Extremism #Webinar #DigitalSafety #OnlineRadicalization #GamingAndExtremism #DigitalResilience #CounterExtremism #OnlineSafety

Exploring ‘Fanspiracy’ at AoIR2024 ?? Dr. Line Nybro Petersen from the University of Copenhagen (K?benhavns Universitet) presented her research at the 2024 Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Conference in Sheffield, UK. Her presentation, All the World's a Clue: Forensic Play as Participatory Practice between Fandom and Conspiracy Theories, examined the intersection of fandom culture and conspiracy theories, coining the term ‘fanspiracy.’ Dr. Petersen participated in a session on Play, Polarization and Participation, discussing how fan practices shape online conspiracy narratives and political engagement. Her work contributes to the SMIDGE Project, providing crucial insights into how digital spaces can simultaneously entertain and radicalise. #AoIR2024 #Fanspiracy #SMIDGEProject #Fandom #MediaStudies #DigitalCulture

?? Our latest newsletter is now available! As we reach the midpoint of the #SMIDGEProject, we’re pleased to share our progress in addressing online extremist narratives targeting middle-aged individuals across Europe. Over the past few months, we have mapped conspiracy theories and misinformation trends, conducted social network analysis to identify connections among users engaging with extremist content, analyzed user comments and scraped data from major social platforms, launched 500+ surveys and 8 focus groups to explore the factors driving engagement with extremist narratives Explore our findings and what's coming next: https://buff.ly/40iFReu You can sign up for our newsletter here: https://buff.ly/40pHuqC

?? New Tool to Combat Online Extremism! The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) and the SMIDGE project are excited to announce the launch of a new digital platform designed to combat online extremism. This tool helps policy-makers and researchers track and analyse online videos promoting extremist content across major social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. ?? Key features: ? A comprehensive database including video links, descriptions, target audiences and keywords associated with narratives such as anti-vax, religious extremism and far-right ideologies, ? An interactive dashboard and open data portal for global access and collaboration. ?? Link to the platform: https://lnkd.in/ep7t2rZP #CounterExtremism #DigitalSecurity #OnlineSafety #DigitalResilience #RadicalizationPrevention #PolicyInnovation #ResearchTools #SmidgeProject #SmidgePlatform