What We Do

The Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) is an academic research initiative backed by the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), an independent but industry-funded initiative for better understanding, and counteracting, terrorist use of technology.

GNET is convened and led by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), a globally renowned academic research centre based within the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

GNET seeks to promote responsible research from academics working on issues within the violent extremism and technology nexus. Our research agenda is focused around the following overarching question:

How do online violent extremist behaviours and content relate to offline, real-world harms, and how do mitigation activities responding to those behaviours and content interact with normative social concerns including freedom of expression and conscience, privacy, and human rights?

As part of our thematic focus for 2025, we are particularly interested in addressing these specific topics:

Our research agenda aims to bridge academia, the technology sector, and civil society to address how to mitigate extremist and terrorist use of technology. Our outputs seek to outline solutions or practical recommendations to technology companies looking to counter exploitation by terrorists and violent extremists online.

GNET wants to promote responsible research and best practices among the academic community working on contentious issues of violent extremism. As such, our members agree to abide by the following pledge when undertaking their work:

The Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) recognises the important role played by academic researchers who study, analyse and gather information related to terrorist content. We recognise that, at times, there is a need to put primary material into the public domain. Our pledge acknowledges academic freedoms in this respect, while also encouraging researchers to consciously reflect on the material they are about to publish, by first considering the benefits and harms of making such information available to the wider public. Members are encouraged to publish material with accompanying analysis so that it contextualises and explains the content, and to not reproduce it in a way that inadvertently propagates, disseminates or glorifies terrorism or promotes the aims of violent extremist groups.