Extremism in Cyberspace
Extremism in Cyberspace

Summary/Abstract: The political discussion in Germany about extremists’ use of the internet is focused on political extremism, especially right-wing extremists’ propaganda on the World Wide Web (Bundesministerium des Innern 2006). Previous research provides evidence that political extremists from the left and from the right make use of the internet in mainly the same manner (Roessing 2005a). There are some differences between left-wing and right-wing extremists in the use of interactive technologies on web sites such as guest books and discussion forums (Roessing 2005b). Internet activists from the left tend to concentrate more on public and less manageable guest books whereas rightists resort to discussion forums that can be used both to hide objectionable content from public access and to manage user activities. It has been hypothesized that, at least in Germany, public opinion and authorities put more pressure on right-wing than on left-wing extremists, thus forcing right-wing activists to use the internet in a less public and more concealed manner (Roessing 2005b).

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