Tech Against Terrorism

Latest Episodes:

The Dark Side of Drone Tech: How Extremists Are Exploiting UAVs Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Unmanned aerial vehicles - better known as drones - are transforming modern warfare. As the technology becomes more accessible to the general public, it also becomes easier for bad actors to exploit.

From surveillance and reconnaissance to weaponised drone attacks, extremist groups are increasingly using this technology to enhance their operational capabilities.

In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber speaks to Don Rassler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy at West Point. Together, they discuss how drones are being leveraged by terrorist organisations, the evolving threat landscape, and the countermeasures being developed to mitigate these risks.

The views expressed by the guest in this podcast are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ How terrorist groups are acquiring and adapting drone technology

➡︎ The tactical advantages drones offer to extremist organisations

➡︎ How governments are responding to this emerging threat

➡︎ The future of drone warfare in terrorist operations

📱 Connect with Don Rassler.

📚Learn more about the Combating Terrorism Center here.

⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.

🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.

💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.

📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

Game On: How Simulations are Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Responses Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges.

In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on political violence, alongside Eleanor Ross, Director of Game Design at Valens Games. Together, they discuss how immersive wargames and AI-driven narrative simulations are shaping the future of intelligence and counter-terrorism training.

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ About the intersection of gaming and counter-terrorism

➡︎ How Valens Games develops simulations for practitioners

➡︎ The real-world applications of video game technology in security strategy

➡︎ The Challenges and risks associated with gamifying counter-terrorism training

➡︎ The role of AI and interactive storytelling in security simulations

📱Connect with Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Eleanor Ross.

📚Learn more about Valens Games here.

⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.

🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.

💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.

📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

How New Technologies Are Fueling Terrorism Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

Emerging technologies like 3D printing, drones, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the threat landscape, giving terrorists new tools to carry out attacks, spread propaganda, and fund their operations. But the risks don’t stop there. On the horizon are technologies like quantum computing and more, which experts warn could be the next frontier for exploitation.

Join Lucas Webber as he explores more about these emerging technologies with internationally renowned terrorism expert Colin Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Center. And Clara Broekaert, a Research Fellow at The Soufan Center.

🎧 Listen to find out:

➡︎ How terrorists are using 3D printers to manufacture weapons

➡︎ Why quantum computing poses an underestimated risk

➡︎ The truth about artificial intelligence misuse by terrorists

➡︎ What’s behind the rise in youth extremism

➡︎ The unique challenges governments, regulators, and tech platforms face in combating these threats

📱Connect with Colin Clarke and Clara Broekaert.

📚Learn more about The Soufan Center here.

⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website

💬Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.

📄Read a full transcript of this episode here.

🎙️An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

Disrupting Terrorist Financing in the Digital Age Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

From buying weapons to funding attacks and recruiting new members, terrorist organisations need money to carry out their activities. But how do they raise, store and transfer finances? And what lessons can counter-terrorism teams learn from tracking terrorist money?

Join Lucas Webber as he discusses all this and more with internationally renowned terrorism finance expert Dr. Jessica Davis, president and principal consultant at Insight Threat Intelligence.

🎧 Listen to find out:

➡︎ What money can tell us about a potential attack plot

➡︎ What methods terrorists use to raise funds

➡︎ How terrorists leverage criminal activity

➡︎ The role of cryptocurrency

➡︎ How women are involved in terrorism financing

📱Connect with Dr. Jessica Davis.

📚Learn more about Insight Threat Intelligence here.

⚡️ Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website

💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.

📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

The Persistence of Pro-IS Propaganda in Southeast Asia Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s episode we’re looking at how IS and al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups in Southeast Asia continue to exploit online platforms to disseminate propaganda, even as attacks in the region decline. We explore the history of militant Islamist activities in the region, as well as the key players; Why and how these groups and their supporters focus so much of their energy on online propaganda; And why we should care when terrorist content stays online.

A note: we recorded this episode before the announcement by leaders of the Jemaah Islamiyah, or JI, of the group’s disbandment. It’s one of the main groups we explore in this episode.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Dr. Judith Jacob. She is the director of Geopolitical Risk and Security Intelligence at Forward Global, a corporate intelligence and influence group. She also holds a PhD on Ideology, Terrorism, and Militant Islamism.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

Resources:

Dr. Judith Jacob’s research at LSE

Escaping the Incelosphere Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s episode, we’re returning to the topic of incels to explore the online spaces aiming to help individuals leave this violent misogynistic community. We start by providing a refresher on incel ideology, but if you want a deep dive we recommend first listening to the episode linked below. This time, we focus on tools for deradicalisation, the benefits and limitations of support-focused Reddit forums like r/inceltears and r/incelexit, and consider why it is so difficult to leave the incelosphere.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Allysa Czerwinsky, a PhD candidate at the University of Manchester, who specialises in male supremacist communities online.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

Resources:

Allysa Czerwinsky’s research
TAT Podcast: Incels, Online Misogyny and Gender-Based Violence

Online Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate and its Offline Consequences Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s episode we’re looking at the spread and normalisation of anti-LGBTQ+ hate online, and its dramatic, real-life consequences. The hysteria promoted by extremists around a so-called gay or trans agenda has led to a societal and legislative backlash for LGBTQ+ people in the US. And the hate has festered in the most mainstream of online spaces. We discuss some of the conspiracy theories against LGBTQ+ people, the link between online and offline violence, and what tech companies can do to protect this marginalised community.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Sarah Moore, the senior manager of news and research at GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation, based in the US.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

Resources:

GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index

Is Terrorist Use of Cryptocurrencies Overblown? Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

There has been a lot of concern about how cryptocurrencies are used by terrorist groups to finance their operations, especially since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th. So in this week’s episode, we’re investigating that question – do terrorist groups actually use cryptocurrency? We discuss what is known about terrorist financing, where the hysteria around cryptocurrency comes from, and the challenges around adopting more effective international countermeasures.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Stephen Reimer, an Associate Fellow with the Centre for Finance and Security at the Royal United Services Institute's (RUSI). He is also an Adjunct Professor at the SciencesPo Paris School of International Affairs, where he lectures on financial intelligence and security.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

Resources:

Stephen Reimer’s research at RUSI
TAT Podcast: Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K): A Growing Threat?
TAT Podcast: Media Jihad: Islamic State's Resurgent Propaganda Network

HOPE Not Hate: Insights from Inside the Far-Right May 23, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s episode, we’re getting unique insights into the state of the far-right in the UK. The advocacy and research organisation HOPE Not Hate is known for its tireless work countering extremism and hate through research, intelligence, campaigning and community engagement. This work has involved infiltrating and exposing extremist movements and even terrorist groups. HOPE Not Hate recently published their State of Hate 2024 report, which we discuss in detail in the episode.

Archie Macfarlane is joined by Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher from HOPE Not Hate. We learn what it’s like to go undercover in an extremist group, and the risks associated with it. We explore how far-right extremism has evolved over the years, the role of social media, and the wider societal drivers of hate.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

Resources:

HOPE Not Hate’s State of Hate 2024 report
Patrik’s research feature on Active Clubs
TAT Podcast: Active Clubs: Fitness, Fraternity, and Fascism
TAT Podcast: What is the #tradwives Movement?

Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online May 09, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s episode, we’re delving into the key trends of the past three years in how online users disseminate far-right terrorist propaganda online. From gamification to Generative AI, we’ll be sharing findings from our upcoming report – TCAP Insights: Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Adam Donald, TCAP Manager at Tech Against Terrorism, who was part of the team working on our latest TCAP research report. We discuss the distribution of terrorist content online using TCAP statistics, which terrorist entities are most proficient, and which platforms are most heavily exploited. We also cover how gamification and sanctification of far-right propaganda is leading to a larger audience reach for this content, even on mainstream platforms. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for platforms to counter these trends.
Sign up to join the webinar launching the full report here.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.

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