Thread by @splcenter

As the far-right expanded its network of hate online, it relied on a popular digital medium to get its message out: Podcasts.

In this four-part report, SPLC researchers @MeganSquire0 and @hannahgais detail podcasts' role in far-right mobilization: splcenter.org/techwatch

In Part 1, the researchers zeroed in on 18 different podcasts from 2005–2020.

These shows –– which featured 882 cast members on 4,046 different episodes –– revealed how extremist leaders worked together to build their movement into a political force.
splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021…

For the extreme right, SPLC found that these 18 shows served as a recruitment tool, a venue for shaping their narrative around “Unite the Right,” and a place to build contacts internationally at a low cost.

In Part 2, SPLC explored how “The Political Cesspool,” a podcast whose host has brushed shoulders with members of the Trump family, aided in branding and marketing the white nationalist movement known as the “alt-right.” splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021…

In Part 3, SPLC detailed the demise of the podcasting network "The Right Stuff."

While the show was once a place for white nationalists to make themselves known, it has struggled to attract guests, and its domain ranking has dropped 87.5% since 2017. splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021…

Finally, in the final part of the report, @megansquire0 and @hannahgais explore the far right’s long history of creating audio propaganda, as well as possible future trends for extremist content creators.

Read more: splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021…