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Julia Ebner speaker

Dr Julia Ebner

Counter extremism and online radicalisation speaker, and author of Going Mainstream: How Extremists Are Taking Over
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About

Gender: Female
Nationality: United Kingdom
Languages: English
Travels from: United Kingdom

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Biography Highlights

  • Global Authority on Extremism: Leads Oxford’s Violent Extremism Lab, focusing on online radicalisation and terrorism prevention.
  • Bestselling Author: Wrote Going Mainstream, Going Dark, and The Rage, acclaimed works on digital extremism.
  • Trusted Advisor: Consults for the UN, NATO, Europol, Google, and Meta on counter-extremism and democracy protection.

Biography

Dr. Julia Ebner is a world-leading expert on online radicalisation, conspiracy myths and threats to democracy and minority rights, and terrorism prevention. At the University of Oxford, she leads the Violent Extremism Lab at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, is a postdoctoral researcher at the Calleva Centre for Evolution and Human Science (Magdalen College) and teaches for the Department of Politics and International Relations. She is also the award-winning and internationally bestselling author of Going Mainstream (2023), Going Dark (2019), and The Rage (2017), as well as a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) in London.

Having led multiple research and advisory projects in the policy and security world, along with being involved in several undercover investigations into extremist groups across the ideological spectrum, Julia regularly advises government and intelligence agencies, tech firms, and transnational organisations, including the UN, NATO, Europol, the World Bank, Google, and Meta.

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Popular Talks

Trust in science, the media, and democracy have been dwindling in recent years. But in this new era of misinformation and distrust, the private sector has been a rare source of hope: according to the Edelman Trust Barometer, private sector firms and employers enjoy the highest trust levels in society. Julia addresses questions such as: What drives the enemies of science and democracy? Why are we more susceptible to conspiracy myths and disinformation in a world of growing uncertainty? And what can companies and institutions do to reverse this trend and restore trust?

Available: In person, Virtually

The risk of systematic disinformation campaigns that can lead to delegitimisation, hate, and agitation has been further aggravated by the next generation of technologies. From Large Language Models (LLMs) and deep fakes to Decentralized Autonomous Organisations in the Metaverse, what risk do new technologies pose to organisations from a reputational perspective as well as a security perspective, and what can they do to prevent campaigns directed at their brand, employees or activities?

Available: In person, Virtually

By day, Julia Ebner worked at a counter-extremism think tank, monitoring radical groups from the outside. However, in her spare hours – late nights, holidays, and weekends – she adopted five different identities and joined a dozen extremist groups from across the ideological spectrum. Based on her undercover investigations, Julia gives insights into how extremists across the world have skillfully expanded their reach by using cutting-edge technologies, attracted the youngest generations by gamifying their communication, and impacted politics by entering surprising coalitions.

Available: In person, Virtually

Incels. Anti Vaxxers. Conspiracy theorists. Neo-Nazis. Once, these groups all belonged on the fringes of the political spectrum. Today, accelerated by a pandemic, global conflict, and rapid technological change, their ideas are becoming more widespread. Based on Julia’s undercover investigations for her latest book Going Mainstream, she explores: why outlandish ideas have taken hold and conspiracy myths are spreading faster than ever, and how united by a shared sense of grievance and skepticism about institutions, radicalised individuals are influencing the mainstream like never before.

Available: In person, Virtually

Julia'S

Testimonials

Dr. Ebner is an excellent speaker in high demand and one of the top experts on extremism, hate speech and conspiracy myths. She has held talks for Meta in German, English and French.

Meta

Julia is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker, and was able to distill complex ideas for an audience with variable knowledge of the subjects under discussion.

United Nations

It is exceedingly rare that the major technology companies, including Google and Youtube, listen to outsiders, let alone have their policies influenced by outside experts. Julia is that rare exception.

Google

A leading voice in her field. Julia manages to captivate her audiences by breaking down complex issues and bringing her research to life with anecdotes.

Europol

Books

Julia Ebner book

Going Mainstream: How extremists are taking over

Incels. Anti Vaxxers. Conspiracy theorists. Neo-Nazis. Once, these groups all belonged on the fringes of the political spectrum. Today, accelerated by a pandemic, global conflict and rapid technological change, their ideas are becoming more widespread: QAnon proponents run for U.S. Congress, neo-fascists win elections in Europe, and celebrity influencers spread dangerous myths to millions. Going Mainstream asks the question: What is happening here? Going undercover online and in person, UK counter-extremism expert Julia Ebner reveals how, united by a shared sense of grievance and scepticism about institutions, radicalised individuals are influencing the mainstream as never before. Hidden from public scrutiny, they leverage social media to create alternative information ecosystems and build sophisticated networks funded by dark money. Ebner’s candid conversations with extremists offer a nuanced and gripping insight into why people have turned to the fringes. She explores why outlandish ideas have taken hold and disinformation is spreading faster than ever. And she speaks to the activists and educators who are fighting to turn the tide. Going Mainstream is a dispatch from the darkest front of the culture wars, and a vital wake-up call.

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Going Mainstream: How extremists are taking over

Incels. Anti Vaxxers. Conspiracy theorists. Neo-Nazis. Once, these groups all belonged on the fringes of the political spectrum. Today, accelerated by a pandemic, global conflict and rapid technological change, their ideas are becoming more widespread: QAnon proponents run for U.S. Congress, neo-fascists win elections in Europe, and celebrity influencers spread dangerous myths to millions. Going Mainstream asks the question: What is happening here? Going undercover online and in person, UK counter-extremism expert Julia Ebner reveals how, united by a shared sense of grievance and scepticism about institutions, radicalised individuals are influencing the mainstream as never before. Hidden from public scrutiny, they leverage social media to create alternative information ecosystems and build sophisticated networks funded by dark money. Ebner's candid conversations with extremists offer a nuanced and gripping insight into why people have turned to the fringes. She explores why outlandish ideas have taken hold and disinformation is spreading faster than ever. And she speaks to the activists and educators who are fighting to turn the tide. Going Mainstream is a dispatch from the darkest front of the culture wars, and a vital wake-up call.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Julia Ebner book

Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists

By day, Julia Ebner works at a counter-extremism think tank, monitoring radical groups from the outside. But two years ago, she began to feel she was only seeing half the picture; she needed to get inside the groups to truly understand them. She decided to go undercover in her spare hours – late nights, holidays, weekends – adopting five different identities, and joining a dozen extremist groups from across the ideological spectrum. Her journey would take her from a Generation Identity global strategy meeting in a pub in Mayfair, to a Neo-Nazi Music Festival on the border of Germany and Poland. She would get relationship advice from ‘Trad Wives’ and Jihadi Brides and hacking lessons from ISIS. She was in the channels when the alt-right began planning the lethal Charlottesville rally, and spent time in the networks that would radicalise the Christchurch terrorist. In Going Dark, Ebner takes the reader on a deeply compulsive journey into the darkest recesses of extremist thinking, exposing how closely we are surrounded by their fanatical ideology every day, the changing nature and practice of these groups, and what is being done to counter them.

Read more..

Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists

By day, Julia Ebner works at a counter-extremism think tank, monitoring radical groups from the outside. But two years ago, she began to feel she was only seeing half the picture; she needed to get inside the groups to truly understand them. She decided to go undercover in her spare hours - late nights, holidays, weekends - adopting five different identities, and joining a dozen extremist groups from across the ideological spectrum. Her journey would take her from a Generation Identity global strategy meeting in a pub in Mayfair, to a Neo-Nazi Music Festival on the border of Germany and Poland. She would get relationship advice from 'Trad Wives' and Jihadi Brides and hacking lessons from ISIS. She was in the channels when the alt-right began planning the lethal Charlottesville rally, and spent time in the networks that would radicalise the Christchurch terrorist. In Going Dark, Ebner takes the reader on a deeply compulsive journey into the darkest recesses of extremist thinking, exposing how closely we are surrounded by their fanatical ideology every day, the changing nature and practice of these groups, and what is being done to counter them.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Julia Ebner book

The Rage: The Vicious Circle of Islamist and Far-Right Extremism

The early twenty-first century has been defined by a rise in Islamist radicalisation and a concurrent rise in far right extremism. This book explores the interaction between the ‘new’ far right and Islamist extremists and considers the consequences for the global terror threat. Julia Ebner argues that far right and Islamist extremist narratives – ‘The West is at war with Islam’ and ‘Muslims are at war with the West’ – complement each other perfectly, making the two extremes rhetorical allies and building a spiralling torrent of hatred – ‘The Rage’. By looking at extremist movements both online and offline, she shows how far right and Islamist extremists have succeeded in penetrating each other’s echo chambers as a result of their mutually useful messages. Based on first-hand interviews, this book introduces readers to the world of reciprocal radicalisation and the hotbeds of extremism that have developed – with potentially disastrous consequences – in the UK, Europe and the US.

Read more..

The Rage: The Vicious Circle of Islamist and Far-Right Extremism

The early twenty-first century has been defined by a rise in Islamist radicalisation and a concurrent rise in far right extremism. This book explores the interaction between the 'new' far right and Islamist extremists and considers the consequences for the global terror threat. Julia Ebner argues that far right and Islamist extremist narratives - 'The West is at war with Islam' and 'Muslims are at war with the West' - complement each other perfectly, making the two extremes rhetorical allies and building a spiralling torrent of hatred - 'The Rage'. By looking at extremist movements both online and offline, she shows how far right and Islamist extremists have succeeded in penetrating each other's echo chambers as a result of their mutually useful messages. Based on first-hand interviews, this book introduces readers to the world of reciprocal radicalisation and the hotbeds of extremism that have developed - with potentially disastrous consequences - in the UK, Europe and the US.
Buy the book
Buy the book

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