EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE: RIOTS, ALGORITHMIC EXTREMISM, PROTEST AND TRUTH.

In response?to recent?outbreaks of far-right violence, the government is imposing prison sentences on those not only taking part in harm, but those who incite others to violence online. Were the riots of 2024 simply “far right thuggery” or is that being too reductionist? To what extent was it fuelled by?Islamophobic, anti-migrant and racist sentiments??To what extent were the undertones of extremism incited by agenda-driven actors on and offline? What really were the motivations and underlying causes? Others have also been asking how we can explain the motivations and participation of?two 12 year old boys??who were criminally convicted (including of violent disorder), a 13 year old girl, and a?69 year old grandfather?– in a way that provides some context without justifying the horror of what they unleashed.?

At the time of writing, nearly?150 people?will have been arrested, facing serious charges and as of 15th ?August,?58 children?and young people had been prosecuted.?

A lot will be written about motivations and justifications over the coming weeks. In the light of schools reopening after the summer holidays, parental fears and the government announcing a review of primary and secondary?school curriculum?coverage of spotting fake news and conspiracy theories, we ask Professor Lynn Davies and Savannah Hanson to explore this.?

Savannah shares her perspective on the potential dangers of online echo chambers, the limitations of presenting people with “the facts” and introduces the youth-led solutions to these issues found in recent?Agenda for Citizenship Education research. Professor Lynn, a media literacy and responsible digital citizenship expert, first explores the distinctions between rioting and protesting in the context of fostering positive agency among young people. She then examines whether educational efforts effectively forestall digital participation in hate crime and considers the role educators and policymakers can play in inspiring those seeking opportunities to make meaningful change towards more positive avenues.?

Savannah, our Youth Engagement Officer writes…

Matchmakers: How Social Media Algorithms and Online Echo Chambers Help Create a Digital Divide

In today’s hyper-digital, hyper-connected world, social media plays an increasingly significant role in shaping our perceptions and realities. I quite like the analogy that tech writer?Dorcas Adisa?uses, describing the algorithms driving these platforms as matchmakers, curating content that aligns with our interests and beliefs. Our previous blog alluded to this being “algorithmic extremism.”?While this can be very convenient, introducing us to posts that interest us or amuse us enough to do that short puff of air from the nostrils – whatever it’s called – it often creates what we call online?echo chambers?– environments where individuals are exposed only to information that reinforces their existing views. This phenomenon can have a profound impact, leading us to live in vastly different realities, despite perhaps even living on the same street, with each of us operating from our own set of understood truths.?

Many have blamed these digital echo chambers as the reason for the recent riots or for the divisions we see in society today, but it is important to bear in mind a couple of things. Firstly, a reminder that algorithms collect information about us that we have provided through engaging with online content – liking, resharing, commenting and so on. We cannot wholly blame algorithms for content we see given we are the source that feeds them. Secondly, most people do not live permanently online – most of us still interact with friends, family, work colleagues and various news outlets, exposing us to ideas and opinions we may not like or agree with – ideas that may even “trigger” us, if you will.

Some of us, often due to confirmation bias, will absentmindedly engage with a lot of the “fake news” that floats around our digital echo chambers, resharing this to our social networks, because we believe it to be true. This is unfortunately how misinformation is spread. Some will even intentionally spread false and misleading information to deceive others, spreading disinformation.?

Highlighting our role in creating our echo chambers and spreading “fake news”, is by no means a way to excuse the role Big Tech organisations, such as Meta and X, ought to play in making it more difficult for mis/disinformation to spread at the rate it currently does. It does however help us to better understand why we have recently seen the concerning offline results of online irresponsibility, hate and lies. We have seen how the extremism, racism and Islamophobia that exist in society have been further amplified by mis/disinformation, encouraging the violent riots that took place on our streets and in our communities.

This is one of many reasons why our?media literacy approaches ?at ConnectFutures through workshops?such as “Fake News, Conspiracy and Truth” is crucial because we tackle these issues head-on. We understand the role the digital landscape has played to fuel divisions that manifest in the real world, and how ironic this is given the stated purpose of most social media platforms to connect people.

However, with recent uprisings, we’ve noticed something that suggests there is more to unpack beyond the algorithms and echo chambers, that media literacy education alone cannot solve.?

Beyond the Facts: Tate, Piers Morgan and #twotierpolicing

The recent interview of influencer Andrew Tate on Piers Morgan’s YouTube show ‘Uncensored’ highlights something as fascinating as it is terrifying. Piers confronts Tate about the role he played in amplifying falsehoods about the murder of three children and injury of ten others at the Taylor Swift themed dance and?yoga class in Southport.?

Morgan presents several posts made by Tate on social media platforms: an impassioned video monologue, fake photo of the assailant and a distasteful meme. All are either falsely claiming or implying that the attacker was an undocumented, “illegal”, Muslim migrant. Tate defends every single post. And yet, among the 48,000+ comments, there is overwhelming support for him.?Even when confronted with facts, many viewers felt that “the truth” was irrelevant, detracting from the point they believe to be more important.?

Tate’s ability to defend the role he played in spreading false information and to still receive widespread support, demonstrates how people are much?more drawn to narratives that resonate with them emotionally than to factual accuracy.?Merely providing?the truth is not enough.?There is a deeper issue at play where individuals feel that far-right influencers such as Andrew Tate or ‘Tommy Robinson’ are not only speaking on their behalf but are promoting a crucial overarching message about society. Their authoritative voice is such that even Reform?UK Leader Nigel Farage has blamed Tate for being the source of the falsehoods that he too spread regarding this tragic attack.

On a Channel 4 news item?‘What can be done to combat rising misinformation on X?’?, the?Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s Hannah Rose summarises the far-right sentiments dominating online spaces such as ‘two-tier policing’?and the mainstreaming of the?Great Replacement conspiracy theory?– both concepts peddled by Tate in his interview. Rose explains how people then end up contributing to the spreading of such narratives, deploying a very different notion of ‘facts.’?

As educators and policy makers, we must address this trajectory, understanding why people gravitate toward certain narratives. This is essential in bridging divides and promoting healthier, more constructive dialogues. But while there would be agreement that teaching young people about navigating digital spaces is incredibly important, we must address what else can be done to ensure the necessary conversations are being had in classrooms to address ‘sticky’ topics.?Moreover, how can we ensure such conversations are youth-led????????

Empowering Young Voices: The Role of Citizenship Education?

An important recent research project,?Agenda for Citizenship Education?(ACE), incorporates the views of student co-researchers to detail key recommendations for a citizenship curriculum, which would tackle some of the challenges outlined above. As well as media education to navigate the rise of influencers and online misinformation, the students want a real-life political education, to learn about the lived realities of equality and inequality, and how personal and public finances are connected. With technology and AI developing at such a rapid rate, there is a feeling that simply “spotting fake news” will not enable students to think critically about wider societal issues, and an opportunity will have been missed.

The students expressed wanting to engage in conversations that go beyond the surface, addressing complex issues that many currently do not feel comfortable to speak about either at home or the classroom. They want to explore immigration in more detail within the citizenship curriculum, not only the Transatlantic slave trade and impact of British Empire, but how immigration has specifically impacted their own area. A staff member at the?Refugee and Migrant Centre??recently shared some basic immigration terms and procedures with our team and it was shocking how little so many of us know, much less young people or those that have not been able to easily access education.?

This research also shows the critical importance of tapping into the knowledge and experiences that students share with us. Whether it’s engaging with students to gain a better understanding of the latest quirky social media trend or learning how different platforms popular among young people work, it’s essential not to underestimate the valuable insight we can gain from their perspectives.?

My biggest takeaway is the strong desire among young people to learn about making real-world change, take responsible action and make a tangible impact in their communities.?

Professor Lynn writes…

Legitimate grievance: To protest or riot?

What then emerges from the far-right riots and reports is the imperative not just for a passive media literacy but for education with a focus on positive?agency?for young people.?I come at this from a long history of thinking about student protest, for example when I was standing together with school students marching against the Iraq war.?

When is a protest called for???What is the difference between a protest and a riot? If you join a protest, what do you want to achieve? Who are you really targeting? What are the end goals??This applies to Just Stop Oil as well as the current demonstrations and counter-protests. As with work on gangs and extremism, young people benefit from thinking about what it means to join something. If you join a counter-protest, what would you be prepared to do if attacked? Young people need skills in effective campaigning as well as understanding theirs and others’ motivations in trying to bring about change. What makes someone feel empowered by a far-right influencer online that they’ve never met? What makes them?hurl bricks at a mosque and destroy a front wall on the basis of rumours read on social media?or?smash windows and set fire to a hotel?housing refugees? How does the term ‘legitimate grievance’ become twisted, with far reaching consequences??

Islamophobia, anti-refugee sentiments, racism, and hate are endemic, but before these even become embedded, is it possible to build resilience? Is it possible that that a sense of being seen, of contributing to a bigger cause beyond yourself, are sentiments that, if channelled differently at an earlier point, would make things different? There is still fundamental work to be done on rights – ensuring the right to protest for instance, but this is a qualified, not absolute right, and does not give permission for violence and destruction.?

In the meantime, it’s important that we take note of what tools young people have expressed that they need to help them build resilience to adopting hateful ideologies or expressing themselves destructively. In our arena, we are encountering more and more young people who are calling for more opportunities to practise critical thinking, emotional regulation and empathy. They want to explore how these skills apply both online and offline, understanding the differences in how social norms are manifested in both spaces.

Using literacy to decide action?

Teaching media literacy and responsible digital citizenship is crucial and foundational, but this is only part of the story if we are to give young people the tools to respond?in real time?to significant events that may surround them.

Three linked essentials surface:?

• Firstly, schools need to couple the work that organisations like?ConnectFutures?provide with opportunities in classrooms for students to safely discuss “sticky” topics ranging from fake news, mis/disinformation, racial justice, Islamophobia to extremism, which we’ve been refining and researching since 2015. This means learning the limits of free speech, how to engage in dialogue respectfully and how to really listen to another’s point of view – and learn where their narratives come from.

• The second essential is sound political information, so that discussion does not occur in a vacuum. This includes providing students with a comprehensive understanding of issues like immigration, asylum and poverty and the historical and contemporary factors that shape our society.??

• The third essential is learning about how to create change. The students in the Agenda for Citizenship Education paper wanted to know more about volunteering opportunities for example. What else is there in this plea that could help people to find a sense of purpose and belonging in their local communities? What can we do to help people learn not just how voting works, but how messy democracy can be, without destroying confidence??The challenge is to teach understanding of what it means to join a campaign or movement, how to create a campaign from scratch, and even of what responsible protest looks like.?

By combining media literacy with active citizenship, we can equip young people, future adults and leaders, to navigate not just the online world but their broader social landscape meaningfully.??This means encouraging them to engage critically, curiously and empathetically with content, questioning narratives they encounter. Taking meaningful action in their communities can go a long way to counteract the allure of divisive, hateful rhetoric. At ConnectFutures we are committed to creating education experiences that do more than inform young people and the communities they empower. By addressing the intricate causes of division and disconnection we aim to foster a more inclusive, understanding and connected society.?

NEW: Our Responding to the Riots workshop designed for both your staff and students can be found here.

Both workshops are tailored and intended to support you to?confidently address the fall-out?surrounding acts of?community violence, most notably the?riots of August 2024. It will provide some contextual understanding of issues like?Islamophobia?and the?Far Right, whilst equipping participants with the skills and confidence to?support impacted young people; both those who were targets of hate and those involved in the violence. Our trainer will have lived experience.

At ConnectFutures, we create and deliver practically minded workshops that seek to develop a sense of citizenship, respect, and intolerance to hate that extends across on/offline worlds.

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Savannah

Savannah is establishing the first ConnectFutures Youth Advisory Board, working to ensure youth voice is embedded into the work and decision making conducted by the organisation. She is an experienced public speaker, facilitator and campaigner who is dedicated to youth empowerment through education. In roles such as Education Officer at the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union, National Citizenship Service mentor, freelance workshop facilitator and event host, she has championed the importance of innovation, inclusion and curiosity for developing solutions that uplift young people.

Professor Lynn Davies

Lynn Davies is Emeritus Professor of International Education at the University of Birmingham, UK Head of Research at ConnectFutures. She has worked extensively in the area of education and conflict and for the past 15 years specifically in education, extremism and security.??

Major books in the field have been Education and Conflict: Complexity and Chaos (2004), Educating against Extremism (2008) and Unsafe Gods: Security, Secularism and Schooling (2014).? Research has included interviewing former extremists (far right and Islamist) about their backgrounds, evaluating the Home Office-funded Way Out project: Supporting Muslims in Prisons, and research for the West Midlands Counter Terror Unit, exploring local trust and confidence in counter-terror policing.?She has conducted international reviews on education and extremism.