| Creators: |
David, Christopher and Risius, Marten |
| Title: |
Suspicion and Selection: Gatekeeping and Onboarding Practices in Extremist Virtual Communities |
| Item Type: |
Conference or Workshop Item |
| Event Title: |
36th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS) “The State of the Information Systems Discipline: Challenges and Opportunities” |
| Event Location: |
Brisbane, QLD, Australia |
| Event Dates: |
December, 1 - 5, 2025 |
| Projects: |
IDI |
| Date: |
1 December 2025 |
| Divisions: |
Informationsmanagement |
| Abstract (ENG): |
Extremist virtual communities extend far beyond mainstream social media into self-controlled niche forums. This paper investigates how these virtual extremist niche communities structure onboarding and gatekeeping processes in these forums. Using a cross-case study design drawing on ethnographic techniques, we compare how established members of the misogynistic forum incels.is and the white supremacist forum stormfront.org control access, regulate participation and judge credibility. Using a Community of Practice Framework, we show that both forums are suspicious of newcomers, but employ distinct gatekeeping strategies. On Incels.is, onboarding resembles a "trial by fire": Constant hostility is used to test commitment, enforce hierarchies, and protect against infiltration. On Stormfront, the onboarding is mission-driven following a more structured approach, supported by extensive self-study material and even occasional tutelage. Our findings highlight socialization differences between online extremist communities as well as gatekeeping differences to traditional radicalization (i.e. absence of "deep commitment"). |
| Forthcoming: |
No |
| Language: |
English |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Extremist Virtual Communities, Gatekeeping, Communities of Practice, Online Radicalization, Virtual Ethnography |
| Citation: |
David, Christopher and Risius, Marten
(2025)
Suspicion and Selection: Gatekeeping and Onboarding Practices in Extremist Virtual Communities.
In: 36th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS) “The State of the Information Systems Discipline: Challenges and Opportunities”, December, 1 - 5, 2025, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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