ISD’s core activities range from traditional research output and policy advice to the facilitation of youth and practitioner networks and the development of
counternarrative and technological tools to combat extremism.[1] More recently, ISD has researched
misinformation and
disinformation involving
climate change,[2]public health,[3] election integrity,[4] and conspiracy networks such as
QAnon.[5]
Business Council for Democracy (BC4D): A joint initiative from Hertie Stiftung,
Robert Bosch Stiftung, and ISD Germany, BC4D provides a business-led approach to digital literacy for adults, including employee training on hate speech, disinformation, and conspiracy theories.[46]
Digital Policy Lab (DPL): Funded by the
German Federal Foreign Office, the DPL is an intergovernmental working group focused on regulation and policy regarding disinformation, hate speech, extremism, and terrorism online.[47]
Beam: Developed in partnership with the
Centre for Analysis of Social Media[48] (CASM), Beam is a meta-project that uses tech to detect, track & measure online manipulation, disinformation, and harassment. Beam was a winner of the 2021 U.S.-Paris Tech Challenge.[49]
Prevention Practitioner Network: Developed in partnership with the
McCain Institute, the Prevention Practitioner Network is a national network of interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to preventing targeted violence, terrorism, and their impacts within the United States.[50]
Strong Cities Network (SCN): Launched at the United Nations in September 2015,[51] SCN is a global network of mayors, municipal-level policy-makers, and practitioners seeking to build social cohesion and counter violent extremism.[52]
Youth Civil Activism Network[53] (YouthCAN): Launched in Oslo, Norway in 2015, YouthCAN is a global youth network of counter-extremism and social justice activists.[54]
Be Internet Citizens (BIC): Developed in partnership with
Google in 2017, BIC is a digital literacy program for youth that aims to explain fake news, echo chambers, filter bubbles, and promote safety online.[55]
Shared Endeavour Fund:[56] ISD managed an £800,000 fund, supported
Google.org and the
Mayor of London, to empower communities to tackle violent extremism and a rise in hate crime offences in London.[57]
The
Far-Right Extremism in Europe (FREE) Initiative: FREE is an online resource for practitioners responding to far-right extremism and violence.[60]
Against Violent Extremism (AVE) network: A global network of former extremists, survivors of violence and interested individuals working together to counter all forms of
violent extremism.[61]
Extreme Dialogue: A
multi-media education resource for teachers and social workers featuring stories from former extremists and survivors of extremism.[62]
Counter Conversations: Developed as a research project with
Facebook, this initiative facilitates interventions between former extremists and young people who show serious extremist tendencies.[63]
Online Civil Courage Initiative (OCCI): A strategic partnership with
Facebook, OCCI launched in Germany in 2016 and expanded to France and the UK in 2017. OCCI helps develop new responses to
hate speech and violent extremism on
social media, providing resources that are often unavailable to
grassroots activist organisations.[64]
Policy Planners’ Network (PPN): A European inter-governmental network of policy chiefs from integration and interior ministries working to develop upgraded, coordinated responses to integration and extremism.[65]
Google Impact Challenge on Safety: Launched with
Google.org and
Ashoka in 2019, this fund distributed €10M to support organisations across Europe countering hate, extremism and supporting child safety online.[67]
ISD’s core activities range from traditional research output and policy advice to the facilitation of youth and practitioner networks and the development of
counternarrative and technological tools to combat extremism.[1] More recently, ISD has researched
misinformation and
disinformation involving
climate change,[2]public health,[3] election integrity,[4] and conspiracy networks such as
QAnon.[5]
Business Council for Democracy (BC4D): A joint initiative from Hertie Stiftung,
Robert Bosch Stiftung, and ISD Germany, BC4D provides a business-led approach to digital literacy for adults, including employee training on hate speech, disinformation, and conspiracy theories.[46]
Digital Policy Lab (DPL): Funded by the
German Federal Foreign Office, the DPL is an intergovernmental working group focused on regulation and policy regarding disinformation, hate speech, extremism, and terrorism online.[47]
Beam: Developed in partnership with the
Centre for Analysis of Social Media[48] (CASM), Beam is a meta-project that uses tech to detect, track & measure online manipulation, disinformation, and harassment. Beam was a winner of the 2021 U.S.-Paris Tech Challenge.[49]
Prevention Practitioner Network: Developed in partnership with the
McCain Institute, the Prevention Practitioner Network is a national network of interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to preventing targeted violence, terrorism, and their impacts within the United States.[50]
Strong Cities Network (SCN): Launched at the United Nations in September 2015,[51] SCN is a global network of mayors, municipal-level policy-makers, and practitioners seeking to build social cohesion and counter violent extremism.[52]
Youth Civil Activism Network[53] (YouthCAN): Launched in Oslo, Norway in 2015, YouthCAN is a global youth network of counter-extremism and social justice activists.[54]
Be Internet Citizens (BIC): Developed in partnership with
Google in 2017, BIC is a digital literacy program for youth that aims to explain fake news, echo chambers, filter bubbles, and promote safety online.[55]
Shared Endeavour Fund:[56] ISD managed an £800,000 fund, supported
Google.org and the
Mayor of London, to empower communities to tackle violent extremism and a rise in hate crime offences in London.[57]
The
Far-Right Extremism in Europe (FREE) Initiative: FREE is an online resource for practitioners responding to far-right extremism and violence.[60]
Against Violent Extremism (AVE) network: A global network of former extremists, survivors of violence and interested individuals working together to counter all forms of
violent extremism.[61]
Extreme Dialogue: A
multi-media education resource for teachers and social workers featuring stories from former extremists and survivors of extremism.[62]
Counter Conversations: Developed as a research project with
Facebook, this initiative facilitates interventions between former extremists and young people who show serious extremist tendencies.[63]
Online Civil Courage Initiative (OCCI): A strategic partnership with
Facebook, OCCI launched in Germany in 2016 and expanded to France and the UK in 2017. OCCI helps develop new responses to
hate speech and violent extremism on
social media, providing resources that are often unavailable to
grassroots activist organisations.[64]
Policy Planners’ Network (PPN): A European inter-governmental network of policy chiefs from integration and interior ministries working to develop upgraded, coordinated responses to integration and extremism.[65]
Google Impact Challenge on Safety: Launched with
Google.org and
Ashoka in 2019, this fund distributed €10M to support organisations across Europe countering hate, extremism and supporting child safety online.[67]