Digital Conference on Countering Terrorist Communications

 

The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) organised a Digital Conference on “Countering Terrorist Communications: Terrorist Propaganda, Public Provocation, Recruitment and Radicalisation”, at the Council of Europe premises on 31 January to 1 February 2023.

Terrorist actors use online platforms and technologies for recruitment, training, radicalisation, public provocation, propaganda or in order to plan, prepare and execute attacks. This phenomenon continues to evolve as new platforms and services emerge, enabling terrorist actors to find new and innovative ways of harnessing the capabilities these technologies provide. These networks and actors often seek to amplify ideologies and sentiments which normalise violent extremist viewpoints and may inspire or encourage others to carry out terrorist attacks.

The Digital Conference focused on ways to monitor and counter activity by terrorist groups online and offline, particularly efforts by terrorist groups to recruit and gain support among their targeted constituencies, as well as those aimed at providing the means and the know-how to carry out terrorist attacks.

The Conference benefited from the expertise of highly qualified experts, practitioners and policymakers in this area, alongside representatives of regional and international organisations supporting global efforts to address these issues.