Jihadist Terror Attacks in Munich, Villach and Mulhouse: Renewed Discussions About the Role of Social Media in Radicalisation Processes
date: 28/03/2025
Reading time: 5 min
The last weeks have seen several suspected jihadist attacks and arrests made in relation to potential plots. For instance, in Munich (Germany), a 24-year-old Afghan refugee drove a car into a demonstration on 13 February, killing two and injuring at least 37 others. Investigators believe that he was radicalised less than six months before the attack, possibly via social media. Two days later, a 23-year-old Syrian refugee carried out a knife attack in Villach (Austria), resulting in one casualty and several people injured. Austrian Minister of Interior Gerhard Karner stated that the perpetrator was radicalised “in a very short time span” on the Internet, mainly via jihadist content on Tik Tok and other social media platforms.
Another knife attack took place in Mulhouse (France) on 22 February, killing one and injuring several others. The attack was carried out by a man who was already on a terrorism watchlist. In all three instances, authorities suspect a jihadist motive and assume the radicalisation processes took place largely online. This has resulted in renewed discussions surrounding the role of social media in radicalisation to violent extremism.
The Role of Social Media Content in Digitally Mediated Radicalisation Processes
The potential role of social media platforms has been debated for more than a decade, but is now receiving heightened attention again, particularly in relation to the resurgence of content related to the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s Jakob Guhl, for instance, reported a rise in ISIS-related activities since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. This includes a surge in digital content as well as the number of individuals radicalising and potentially planning attacks ‘inspired’ by ISIS. Terrorism expert Peter Neumann reported similar observations and added that radicalisation processes may nowadays unfold faster than ever before, due to the algorithmic amplification of extreme content and ample possibilities to redirect potential recruits from openly accessible social media platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram to private chats on messenger services such as Telegram.
Despite these developments, the role of social media content in digitally mediated radicalisation processes is not straightforward. Radicalisation is a multifaceted, highly individual process dependent on a conglomeration of factors. This includes:
- Push factors that drive individuals away from mainstream society, e.g. experiencing discrimination
- Pull factors that draw individuals towards extremist ideologies, e.g. the opportunity to be part of something greater than themselves or a worldview without ambiguity that clearly defines what is good and what is bad
- Personal factors such as an individual’s family situation or mental health.
Social media content can contribute and even facilitate radicalisation processes, particularly when individuals are frustrated with their lives, are looking for new meaning, and are open to changing their perspectives, beliefs, and values, because digital propaganda narratives may offer the guidance for a ‘good’ life individuals are seeking. As more people spend more time on social media, the influence of digital content on any opinion formation processes, including radicalisation, naturally increases. But such content is not the sole or main underlying driver of radicalisation.
Therefore, while it is important to analyse and counter-act the rise in jihadist content on social media platforms, reactive measures such as deplatforming and deleting content and users are not enough.
It is crucial to:
- Recognise that P/CVE work must have a digital dimension and be delivered on popular social media platforms.
- Strengthen democratic voices in these spaces and, where appropriate, support counter-speech efforts to curb extremist influences on digital discourses.
- Invest in long-term prevention programs that reduce the demand for and interest in extremist content.
- Counter the exploitation of jihadist attacks by right-wing extremists to prevent a cycle of mutual radicalisation.
The attacks in Munich, Villach, and Mulhouse demonstrate that digitally mediated radicalisation processes, that unfold fast and often unbeknownst to police and law enforcement agencies, are becoming the norm in Europe. This trend must be recognised and countered appropriately, not only by increasing reactive measures such as deleting content, but also with proactive prevention measures aimed at reducing interest in extremist online content.
Further reading:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2018.1505686
https://ctc.westpoint.edu/teenage-terrorists-and-the-digital-ecosystem-of-the-islamic-state/
https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2024-august-9/
Author: Linda Schlegel, Research Fellow at PRIF's Research Department Transnational Politics and at modus Centre for Applied Research on Deradicalization.