Radicalization on the Internet: Virtual Extremism in the United States, 2015-2017 (ICPSR 37679)
Version Date: Mar 29, 2023 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Matthew Costello, Clemson University;
James Hawdon, Virginia Tech University;
David Snow, University of California, Irvine
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR37679.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
This study includes three waves of the Online Extremism Survey (collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017) which offers information on a host of issues related to online hate material. Data were collected online from a sample of youths and young adults between the ages of 15 and 36 who voluntarily agreed to participate in research surveys. Survey Sample International (SSI) was used to collect the data. SSI recruits potential participants through random digit dialing, banner ads, and other permission-based techniques. These datasets contain information on exposure to online hate material, targeting by online hate material, production of online hate material, and responses to online hate material, among many additional topics related to online hate. The datasets also contain key demographic information on respondents, including age, gender, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, education, employment status, political ideology, and religious affiliation, among other indicators.
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Funding View help for Funding
Subject Terms View help for Subject Terms
Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
Smallest Geographic Unit View help for Smallest Geographic Unit
State
Distributor(s) View help for Distributor(s)
Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)
Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection
Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes
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This collection includes DS4: Virtual Ethnography Data. This dataset utilizes thick descriptions to form a virtual ethnography of extremist profiles and content-focused frame analysis to identify the ways different types of extremist groups or individuals use particular Internet functionalities (i.e. YouTube, home pages, blogs, etc.). To retain maximum utility, this dataset has been released in its original format.
Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine violent domestic extremists--individuals and groups that "support or commit ideologically motivated violence to further political, social, or religious goals" (U.S. Department of Justice, 2014:4).
Study Design View help for Study Design
This study includes two distinct but overlapping methodological paths:
(1) Explanatory models (e.g. online surveys) to assess demographic profiles and other characteristics likely associated with the exposure to and/or adoption of extremist ideas via the web
(2) Thick description to form a virtual ethnography of extremist profiles and content-focused frame analysis to identify the ways different types of extremist groups or individuals use particular Internet functionalities (i.e. YouTube, home pages, blogs, etc.)
Sample View help for Sample
Data were collected from demographically balanced panels of people who voluntarily agreed to participate in online research surveys. Survey Sample International (SSI) was used to collect that data. SSI recruits potential participants through random digit dialing, banner ads, and other permission-based techniques. Email invitations were sent to a sample of panel members stratified to reflect the U.S. population between the ages of 15 to 36 on age, gender, and geographic region.
Time Method View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
Online users between the ages of 15 and 36 living in the United States.
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables
The variables for this study contain information on exposure to online hate material, targeting by online hate material, production of online hate material, and responses to online hate material, among many additional topics related to online hate. Additionally, the data includes demographic variables, such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, education, employment status, political ideology, and religious affiliation, among other indicators.
Response Rates View help for Response Rates
Not available.
Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales
Several Likert-type scales.
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The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.