Social media platforms have increasingly become breeding grounds for hatred and disinformation. To counter this rising wave of online extremism, we, as progressives, must learn to defend ourselves against the growing range of digital threats. 

 

Since Donald Trump’s 2016 US presidential election victory, we have witnessed the far right’s power to use social media to seduce voters. Tech giants like Facebook or Google profit precisely because of discord; these companies intentionally tailor their algorithms to exploit anger, fear, and envy, and monetize our attention for advertising clients – and ideals of truth, reason, and civility struggle on these platforms.

 

As a consequence, Facebook and Google have normalized hate in public discourse, fostering societal polarization precisely when unity is crucial to address pressing challenges such as the climate crisis and violent conflicts. These platforms provide extremists with a competitive edge in the digital struggle for public sentiment.

 

Adversaries understand this dynamic and collaborate actively across the globe to weaponize social media against progressive forces and fundamental human rights. The resemblance between the online tactics of extremist parties in Europe, the Kremlin, and the US alt-right is no coincidence. These actors share ideological alignment and funding sources and a common “disinformation playbook”.

We observed the workings of this “disinformation playbook” in Europe’s recent national elections, and we anticipate encountering more of it during the upcoming EU and US elections in 2024. In Spain, Slovakia, Germany, and the Netherlands, generative artificial intelligence tools were employed to smear and discredit progressive leaders and deceive voters. However, it is not just leaders who are targeted; by stirring up racist, misogynist, and transphobic sentiments, extremist forces also target the most vulnerable groups in society. Before the 2023 Spanish election alone, disinformation and hate speech, primarily targeting migrants and the LGBTIQ+ community, was observed at least 90 million times, according to Reset research.

 

These online attacks increasingly translate into offline violence. Holocaust denial, popular among both MAGA activists in the US and far-right extremists in Europe, is on the rise again. In the three weeks following the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, antisemitic content on platform X was viewed more than 73 million times. During the same period, antisemitic attacks in Germany increased by 320%.

 

All over Europe, politically motivated violence is likely to escalate. In Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovakia, extremist actors perpetuated Trump’s false claim of a stolen election and sought to cast doubt on the integrity of the US elections. This malicious lie has poisoned the hearts and minds of many, fueling attacks on democratic actors and institutions.

We are witnessing a transnationally organized campaign against democracy. Social media platforms, once seen as empowering marginalized voices, are increasingly becoming instruments of division and oppression.

 

The effects are evident in the polls. Not only did extremist parties win the Dutch and Slovak elections, but in Germany, pro-Russian forces currently score a combined 35 percent in some polls, casting a dark shadow on the future of Ukraine and Europe’s security architecture. The situation is equally grim regarding climate change: Climate conspiracies are going viral on social media, while attacks against climate activists have quadrupled in 2023. 25% of Germans do not believe in human-caused climate change anymore. Climate disinformation often targets progressive parties but poses a real threat to the common future of everyone living on this planet.

 

As progressives, we are not defenseless – but we must act swiftly and effectively, pooling our knowledge and resources. Studying and documenting our opponents’ online tactics is crucial for developing effective counter-strategies. Establishing support structures for candidates and campaigners facing a tide of hate and defamatory attacks is imperative. Most importantly, we must leverage the EU’s new regulatory framework for social media companies, the Digital Services Act, to ensure that tech companies protect the safety and  dignity of all users. With our network of experts, we are ready to support you in this critical effort.