Working with Extremist Content Online: Strategies to Improve Researcher Wellbeing

In June 2023, C-REX and GNET hosted a PhD training workshop on studying online violent extremism. The aim of the workshop was to provide PhD students with foundation skills for studying online extremist groups, with a particular focus on online methodologies, personal safety and wellbeing, and research ethics. While online spaces have great potential for better understanding violent extremism, such as extremists’ collective identities, ideas, and interests, as well as their recruitment and organizational strategies, it also entails risks for researchers. Drawing on the lectures provided by Fazeelat Duran (University of Birmingham), Stevie Voogt (Moonshot), and Tim Squirrell (Institute of Strategic Dialogue), we discussed strategies researchers can use to protect their wellbeing while researching extremist content online. Such discussions are essential, given the lack of formalised systems of care or training in the field, and the distinct challenges online research poses to traditional research methods and ethics. 

How to improve researcher wellbeing?

A recurring theme during the workshop was the difficulties researchers faced in order to ensure their wellbeing, when repeatedly exposed to harmful content for research purposes. Three main strategies were emphasised during the workshop: 1) recognising secondary traumatic stress symptoms; 2) protecting researcher wellbeing; and 3) reducing risks online.

Recognising secondary traumatic stress symptoms

Researchers repeatedly exposed to traumatic material online as part of their work, such as material glorifying or depicting hate crimes and terrorist attacks, are at risk of developing secondary traumatic stress (STS). According to Fazeelat Duran’s work, researchers working with extremist content could show STS symptoms, similar to law enforcement staff. These symptoms can include: 1) “negative cognitions”, such as feelings of isolation or a lack of interest in things that they usually enjoy; 2) “avoidance”, such as being unable to sleep, concentrate, and negative emotions; 3) “re-experience”, such as having flashback of events to which they were exposed; and 4) “arousal”, such as using alcohol to block out feelings or putting off work.

It is important for researchers to understand the risks and symptoms of STS when they are investigating extremist content online. By being properly informed about the risks of researching online extremism, researchers, supervisors, and institutions can better prepare and support researcher wellbeing with the aim of mitigating risks rather than responding to harm. Indeed, even if they have not directly witnessed acts of violence, they may be experiencing trauma and should therefore be aware of these symptoms.

Protecting researcher wellbeing

Researchers can implement a variety of strategies to help maintain their wellbeing while investigating violent extremism online. Researchers can use the strategies that work best for them, bearing in mind that these strategies are not universal. As reflected in feedback from our workshop participants, researchers are rarely provided with information around building effective strategies. Consequently, researchers are often responding to harm experienced rather than actively mitigating harm. In this regard, Stevie Voogt emphasises three approaches researchers can adopt to manage their wellbeing: minimise, prepare, and support.

First, researchers should, wherever possible, limit their exposure to harmful content. For example, researchers should consider what data is necessary for the purpose of the research project, in order to delimit the content relevant to their work, and determine when to stop collecting the data. Researchers can also utilise technological tools to mitigate harm, including reducing or muting audio on videos, blurring images, or previewing videos with a thumbnail image.

Second, researchers should implement strategies to help them prepare for exposure to harmful content. Before engaging in data collection, researchers should familiarise themselves with STS symptoms, talk to other researchers who have conducted similar research projects to understand the type of content they might encounter, and delineate working hours and locations so that they can consult such content at a time and place that works best for them and is separated from their personal lives.

Third, researchers can seek community and professional support. As already mentioned, viewing harmful content is an inevitable part of researching online extremism and repeated exposure can result in secondary trauma. As such, having a safe space to talk through challenges and share good practices, as well as seeking for trauma specialist counselling can help support researcher wellbeing. Researchers studying online violent extremism should be particularly mindful of their level of stress and identify what might be a trigger for them throughout the research process.

Reducing risks online

Researchers should also aim to reduce technological risks. When investigating extremism online, researchers can encounter a variety of risks, such as hacking, scamming, and doxxing. Staying safe online, Tim Squirrell explains, requires researchers to manage these risks by checking their operational security. While there is no bulletproof solution for online safety, practical steps can be taken to minimise risk, including (but not limited to): avoiding viewing extremist content on personal devices, frequently changing passwords, using a password manager and two-factor authentication, as well as using a virtual private network (VPN). Researchers should secure their digital footprint by reviewing relevant privacy settings regularly and being aware of the posts and information about themselves that are publicly visible on each of their social media profiles. One exercise Squirrell recommends to researchers is to ‘doxx themselves’, to find out as much as possible about their footprint, and secure themselves accordingly.

Concluding remarks

The study of online violent extremism is an area of great interest in academia – one that can, however, expose researchers to risk of harm both online and offline. Yet discussion about researcher wellbeing remains limited. The aforementioned strategies represent a step in the right direction to improve researchers’ wellbeing while undertaking their work. This is only the beginning of the discussion, as we need more practical guidance to assist researchers in their work. While researchers can take personal steps to help mitigate the risks of researching online extremism, research institutions have a responsibility to support their staff and students by providing training and access to resources, such as burner technology, professional supervision, and specialised mental health support, among other things. Researching violent extremism online is no easy task, but researchers who are willing to take on this challenge should be supported to ensure their personal safety and wellbeing.