Stuart Macdonald's Avatar

Stuart Macdonald

@s-macdonald

Professor of Law, Swansea University. Coordinator, VOX-Pol Network. Director, VOX-Pol Institute. Co-Director, CYTREC. Counterterrorism, online harms, criminal law, human rights.

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15.07.2025
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Latest posts by Stuart Macdonald @s-macdonald

πŸ” Webinar: Algorithmic Amplification of Extremist Content
πŸ“… Wed 19 Nov, 17:00–18:00 (UK)
πŸ‘‰ Email info@voxpolinstitute.org to register

How recommendation algorithms can amplify harmful contentβ€”and how platforms can respond. Join us for an overview of risks, counter-speech, and mitigation strategies.

14.11.2025 10:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Our latest report launches online next Monday, 17 Nov., at 14:00 GMT / 15:00 CET, with @s-macdonald.bsky.social, β€ͺValΓ¨re Ndior, Gavin Sullivan, and report author Marguerite Borelli. Join us! More info at: voxpol.eu/events/new-v...
#PleaseRS

12.11.2025 11:58 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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This article - on how Muslims involved in street life and crime construct and relate to the social identity of the jihadist - looks well worth a read!

doi.org/10.1093/bjc/...

07.10.2025 08:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

πŸš€ VOX-Pol Institute webinar on Chatbots & Extremism πŸš€

14 October, 15:00 to 16:00 (UK time)

- Do extremist actors misuse chatbots?
- What policies and safety mechanisms are deployed by tech platforms?
- How can chatbots be used proactively in P/CVE?

To attend, please email info@voxpolinstitute.org

06.10.2025 12:28 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

⚑ Final hours. Extremists won’t wait.
Curveballs. Consequences. Decisions under pressure.
This is it for those professionally tasked with countering extremist content.
Registration closes tonight. Munich, 8 - 9 Oct
Sign up β†’ www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...
#VOXPolInstitute #CounterExtremism

03.10.2025 13:29 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

🚨 The policy gap is real. The dilemmas are urgent.
This workshop puts those professionally tasked in the hot seat - curveballs, tough calls, consequences.
Munich, 8 - 9 Oct. Register by 3 Oct β†’ www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...
#VOXPolInstitute #CVE #CounterExtremism #CrisisManagement #Policy

30.09.2025 15:31 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

⚑ Policy is catching up. Extremists aren’t waiting.

That’s why we're bringing together those professionally tasked - academics, regulators, law enforcement, platforms.

Munich, 8 - 9 Oct. Don’t miss it β†’
www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...

#VOXPolInstitute #CVE #CounterExtremism #Policy

29.09.2025 15:12 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

πŸ’‘ Closing gaps between extremist tactics and policy response.
Investigations, AI threats, resilience, real-time simulation.
Munich, 8-9 Oct β†’ www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...
πŸ‘₯ Bring a colleague? Discounts via info@voxpolinstitute.orgβ€¨πŸ”— #VOXPolInstitute #CVE #CounterExtremism #DigitalSecurity

26.09.2025 09:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

🌐 Extremists exploit the lag between action & policy
In Munich (8-9 Oct), those professionally tasked with tackling extremist & terrorist content will face dilemmas, twists & curveballs together
🎟️ Limited discounts: info@voxpolinstitute.org
Register by 3 Oct β†’ www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...

27.09.2025 11:08 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
VOX-Pol Institute | Shaping Responses to Online Extremism Join us in Munich for a hands-on, expert-led workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the challenges and strategies in addressing violent extremism and terrorism content online. This interact...

🌍 When extremists go viral before policy can react - what’s your move?
Join those professionally tasked with the response in Munich, 8 - 9 Oct.
Details β†’ www.voxpolinstitute.org/events-1/tac...
πŸ‘₯ Discounts if you bring a colleague - email info@voxpolinstitute.org.
#VOXPolInstitute #CounterExtremism

26.09.2025 15:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
LinkedIn This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

⚑ Extremists adapt faster than policy - can you keep up?

Two days in Munich (8 - 9 Oct) bringing together those professionally tasked with tackling violent extremism content online

πŸ‘₯ Discounts if you bring a colleague - email info@voxpolinstitute.org

Further info & registration β†’ lnkd.in/eCWijHaJ

25.09.2025 14:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Happening tomorrow! Our webinar on the changing nature of radicalisation online πŸ‘‡

17.09.2025 06:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

On 18th September, the VOX-Pol Institute will be teaming up with Institute for Countering Digital Extremism for a webinar on "The Changing Nature of Radicalization Online".

It will run from 9:00 – 10:00 (ET) / 14:00 – 15:00 (BST)

To register, please email: info@voxpolinstitute.org

10.09.2025 19:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
TASM Conference 2026

The call for papers & breakout sessions at the 2026 Terrorism and Social Media (TASM) Conference is now open!
Join 250+ researchers, policymakers, practitioners and tech professionals discuss pressing challenges and opportunities on online terrorism and extremism. Visit www.tasmconf.com for details

03.09.2025 15:49 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Short expert talks will be followed by a live Q&A and discussion. Open only to the tech sector, email info@voxpolinstitute.org to attend

31.08.2025 18:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Join us for this insightful closed webinar that explores:
β€’ How extremist actors might exploit chatbotsβ€”and how real these threats are
β€’ The role of platform policies and safety tools in combating abuse
β€’ The potential for chatbots to support countering and preventing violent extremism

31.08.2025 18:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

🚨 Event Alert – 8 September 2025, 16:30 (London/Dublin time)

πŸ“£ VOX-Pol Institute presents: Chatbots and Extremism: Risks, Policies, and Opportunities

31.08.2025 18:26 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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4chan will refuse to pay daily UK fines, its lawyer tells BBC The online message board's lawyers say UK safety laws shouldn't apply to a business based in the US.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

22.08.2025 09:41 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

- Organisatons: ASEAN
- Organisations: Commonwealth of Independent States
- Bulk personal data acquisition

If you would be interested in writing one of these entries for the encyclopaedia, please do get in touch. Entries should be 2,000 words long, with a deadline of 30th September.

27.07.2025 20:42 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

- Defining terrorism: North and Central America
- Terrorist organisations: UN sanctions regime
- Police powers: comparative pre-charge detention
- Emergency Powers Paradigm
- The war response
- The role of rights in counter-terrorism: right to life

27.07.2025 20:42 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

line-up of contributors that includes @leejarvis.bsky.social @jamesfitz2.bsky.social @davidwellsct.bsky.social @rvanark.bsky.social @broderickmcdonald.bsky.social @conorgearty.bsky.social @muniramustaffa.bsky.social and many others.

We have nine entries left to commission, on the following topics:

27.07.2025 20:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

**Call for contributors to the Elgar Concise Encyclopaedia of Terrorism Law**

@jessieblackbourn.bsky.social, @drkatyvaughan.bsky.social and I are compiling a new Concise Encyclopaedia of Terrorism Law, to be published by Edward Elgar. So far we have commissioned over 100 entries with a fantastic

27.07.2025 20:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Exploiting the Algorithm: How British Extreme Right-Wing Individuals and Groups Leverage Grok and Generative AI for Malign Purposes - VOX - Pol By Alice Sibley and Joshua Bowes As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated and embedded into social media platforms, wariness around its harmful exploitation has grown. As previo...

On this week's Blog, Alice Sibley and @joshuabowes.bsky.social describe and discuss the ways in which UK far-right actors, including the Homeland Party and Britain First, are using X's Grok AI. voxpol.eu/exploiting-t...

23.07.2025 13:21 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Full report available at assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687611...

17.07.2025 08:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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@bricksilk.bsky.social's report "Lessons for Prevent" has been published. Its important recommendations include that violence-fascinated individuals - with no particular ideology but the potential to commit acts similar to terrorism - should be accommodated within Prevent.

17.07.2025 08:40 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0