Thread by @igorvolsky

1/ New @ncri_io report finds ⬆️ in social media posts critical of police that include calls to violence

Left-wing extremists commit far less violence than right-wing extremists. But both are weaponizing social media & easily accessing firearms to cause violence. That's a problem

@ncri_io 2/ “It is overwhelmingly the far right — not the far left — that makes direct incitements for terrorist attacks...Far-left activity usually doesn’t extend beyond destruction of property — that being arson against police vehicles, sabotaging infrastructure and similar activities"

@ncri_io 3/ In 2019, right-wing extremists perpetrated nearly 2/3 of terrorist attacks and plots in US & committed 90%+ of attacks and plots between January 1 and May 8, 2020 csis.org/analysis/escal…

@ncri_io 4/ Context & scale are important. But the problem here is *systemic* 

- violent extremists are using social media to organize violent acts in the real world

- violent extremists can exploit our weak gun laws to easily obtain weapons & even use untraceable 3D printed weapons

@ncri_io 5/ To ensure our democracy is not overrun with violence and intimidation we *must* push for serious systemic change.

What does that look like?

@ncri_io 6/ Digital companies like @Facebook must be far more pro-active in de-platforming violence and hate BEFORE it spills out into the real world.

The must prevent hate groups from using the platforms, particularly event pages & they must *enforce* bans against gun sales and trades

@ncri_io @Facebook 7/ Addressing our nation's weak gun laws is also a key part of all of this - we must raise the standard of gun ownership in America by tightening our gun laws and banning very powerful weapons (that allow bad actors to kill quickly and efficiently) from the civilian marketplace

@ncri_io @Facebook 8/ Oh and vote. We must must vote in this election like our lives depend on it.

Because you know what? They do.