RECO_DAR – Right-wing extremist eco-system driving hate speech on TikTok and fringe platforms

The RECO_DAR project significantly enhances our understanding of the development and dissemination of hate speech online. To achieve this goal, the project employs state-of-the-art research tools to map the right-wing extremist and hate speech ecosystems that span multiple major and minor social media and gaming platforms. These platforms have gained significant traction with a younger audience, unlike the more established and researched platforms that are less popular with this demographic. By focusing on emerging platforms, the project aims to better understand the evolution of hate speech in this context and its impact on the youth audience.

​The analysis carried out by the project delves into the evolution of hate speech, including narratives and visual content, across platforms, as well as the strategies employed by various clusters of actors within the ecosystem to recruit and disseminate content in the German-speaking area and beyond. The project leverages its findings to develop awareness-raising approaches aimed at helping stakeholders recognize and report hate speech, as well as creating counter-narratives. Additionally, the project outlines concrete measures to combat intolerance, racism, and discrimination, especially those based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity, perpetrated by right-wing extremist actors online. Given their central role in these areas, the project’s initiatives are of paramount importance.

Right-wing extremist actors are among the primary drivers of hate speech, and a better understanding of their operating ecosystem is crucial for developing sustainable and effective prevention programs in both online and offline spaces. These efforts not only enhance our ability to safeguard minority groups and women, who are frequently targeted by hate speech, but also protect minors who may be exposed to such content without the necessary tools to process these encounters.

The project is conducted by a Austrian-German consortium consisting of Scenor and modus | zad.

The RECO-DAR project is funded Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission (Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.