Studying the Internet and Violent conflict

The role of the Internet in contemporary violent conflicts is receiving increasing scholarly attention. In this article, I review some of the pioneering studies that investigate how the emergence and penetration of modern communication technology across the world influences violent conflicts. Building on these important findings, I propose four entry points for future research. First, research on the link between the Internet and violent conflict needs to account for the profound changes the Internet has undergone in past decades, as well as the extent to which its nature is becoming increasingly endogenous to local contexts. Second, little is currently known about the effects of communication technology in violent conflict that move beyond initial mobilization. Third, architectural and algorithmic designs of social media platforms heavily influence the possibilities and constraints of human interactions on the Internet, but to date remain understudied. Fourth, further studies are needed to understand how the Internet has changed how violent conflict is communicated and portrayed both online and offline.