Researchers: – The extreme online debate increases

The extreme online debate increases.Photo:REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

Scientists are seeing an increase in activity on the right wing Internet forums.

The threat from right-wing extremists are increasing due to the increase in the number of asylum seekers in Norway, writes newspaper Klassekampen.

– After six months with huge media focus on the refugee crisis in Europe, there is more activity in these pages than before. It’s gotten more supporters, and is publishing more material, such as links to news stories. It generates activity such as likes, comments and debate, said research assistant Birgitte Prangerød Haanshuus of the Center for Extremism research at the University of Oslo.

After the terrorist attacks on the 22nd of July 2011 the public became aware that the debate had shifted “from the street to online,” and the perpetrator had been active on some radical right wing websites, the newspaper said. Five years after scientists say that the debate is increasing, especially on Facebook, and Haanshuus says there is from 100 to 14,000 members of radical right wing Facebook Groups.

These discussing immigration and Islam, and speak of “internal enemies,” politicians, the media and academics.
– Today, there is reason to believe that on Facebook most of the right wing radical debate is taking place.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today