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PERIL

@perilresearch.bsky.social

4.1K followers 179 following 468 posts

Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab at American University, School of Public Affairs. We design, test, & scale up evidence-based tools to help communities prevent & respond to hate & violence. perilresearch.com

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PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 13h

A School Without Hate, authored by PERIL's Dr. Pasha Dashtgard and Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, translates years of research into practical, classroom-ready tools for preventing radicalization and building school cultures that protect every student. All book sale proceeds go to PERIL. 🔗 bit.ly/4gtYnbv

A School Without Hate

An in-depth look at hate and violence in schools that provides proactive, evidence-based practices for responding to troubling student behaviorsEducators are...

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

“Our whole ethos is test, test, test,” - Founding Director Cynthia Miller-Idriss described the method behind PERIL’s recent prebunking series. Read more about how groups like the Har Initiative are using PERIL’s work to help combat antisemitism through short, informative videos. 🔗 bit.ly/4rNYCSI

While others pivot away, new donor collective Har Initiative doubles down on combating antisemitism

Immediately after the Oct. 7 massacres in Israel, Jewish philanthropists poured money into more than 160 organizations claiming to fight antisemitism — but the problem was, according to a 2025 Jewish…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

In Nov., PERIL’s Pasha Dashtgard joins Next Gen Men as a panelist at their all-day summit on the manosphere and the threat it poses to boys and young men. Join him to learn practical ways to help reach and protect boys from misogyny. 🔗https://bit.ly/4hCVVOW

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Featuring a new collection of resources and developed in partnership with PERIL, SPLC’s "Responding to Hate and Preventing Harm" provides invaluable support for communities and individuals seeking to prevent online hate and harassment. Read more about the project here: 🔗 bit.ly/4dggdwE

New resource hub helps fight youth radicalization

Responding to Hate and Preventing Harm is a collection of free prevention guides, rapid-response resources and community training information.

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Tomorrow, join PERIL Executive Director Bill Braniff at the Historic Ford's Theater. Alongside Congressman Don Bacon, Officer Chief Phyllis J. Wilson, and "Courage Can Save Us" author Rye Barcott, this special event honors the stories of those who served in the wake of 9/11. 🔗 bit.ly/3VkDHKY

Called to Serve: Stories from Courage Can Save US — Ford's Theatre

In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans answered the call to serve in extraordinary numbers. Join Ford’s Theatre for an inspiring conversation that honors the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of those…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Experts in the field of studying and preventing violent extremism frequently find their own well-being harmed. Eradicate Hate’s new handbook “Protecting the Protectors” is a vital resource for PERIL and all fellow practitioners to continue their work in safety. bit.ly/4hvG84B

Protecting the Protectors Handbook

A handbook for preventing and countering targeted and hate-fueled violence safely while protecting your well-being.

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

On Oct. 6, join PERIL Executive Director Bill Braniff at the Historic Ford's Theater. Alongside Congressman Don Bacon, Officer Phyllis J. Wilson, and author Rye Barcott, this special event honors the stories of those who served in the wake of 9/11. 🔗 bit.ly/3VkDHKY @au-spa.bsky.social

Called to Serve: Stories from Courage Can Save US — Ford's Theatre

In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans answered the call to serve in extraordinary numbers. Join Ford’s Theatre for an inspiring conversation that honors the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of those ...

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

On CNN’s 5 Things Podcast quotes PERIL Founding Director Cynthia Miller-Idris on findings that misogyny is "among the top three predictors, of support for political violence and willingness to engage in it." 🎧https://bit.ly/4z2x2Uh

He Called Women “Fat B*tches.” The GOP is Standing by Him. - CNN 5 Things - Podcast on CNN Podcasts

CNN has new reporting about crass and sexually degrading comments about women made by a congressional candidate in Texas who is running in a key district Democrats hope to flip. While he is framing…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Hateful narratives evolve fast. To address this challenge, PERIL takes a proactive, evidence-based approach called “prebunking”: short inoculation messages that teach people to recognize the manipulation techniques behind hateful narratives before they encounter them on their own. bit.ly/4y5BhhD

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“Don’t be a pawn in someone else’s endgame,” - PERIL’s Founding Director Cynthia Miller-Idriss spoke at Dickinson College’s Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issue’s, focusing on “The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism”. Read more about the event here: 🔗 bit.ly/3VunHG3

“The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism” Clarke Forum

On September 10, Dickinson’s Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues hosted its first program of the year in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium (ATS). The program, titled “The New Misogyny and the…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Join PERIL Executive Director Bill Braniff on Oct. 6 for Prevention in Practice: Tackling Online Extremism & Radicalization. Learn how to identify warning signs and the importance of early prevention of potential violent threats in this online, interactive event. 🔗 bit.ly/4ryh0Po

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

“I think if we want a safer society overall, we should also be worried about [leaders]...who help normalize things that we know are reliable predictors of political violence.” - PERIL’s Cynthia Miller-Idriss quoted by CNN on the Texas Congressional race.🔗 bit.ly/4iV3yD1

‘Fat b*tches’: Videos reveal the extent of GOP candidate’s crude sexual remarks | CNN Politics

Brandon Herrera repeatedly made vulgar sexual statements and derogatory comments about the appearance and intelligence of women, CNN found.

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

PERIL’s Fall Newsletter is out! Featuring new resources such as pre-bunking materials against online misinformation, updates on current initiatives and events, and tools for educational institutions to keep campuses and students safe. Sign up now to catch the latest: bit.ly/4rhtpal

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

There’s still time to register for Going Mainstream on September 23. Join PERIL for our upcoming webinar as staff unpack how online male supremacy is filtering into higher education and what faculty and staff can do. Sept 23, 12pm ET. 🔗https://bit.ly/4xTxELi

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Sadistic exploitation networks go beyond national borders, targeting victims at a distance through online platforms. PERIL’s NVE Tracker analyzed 86 cases and found that 27 ended with harm across jurisdictions, with the majority of perpetrators and victims found in the United States: bit.ly/3T3gtYU

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

As we look back twenty-five years later on the horrific tragedy of 9/11, the legacy of the “War on Terror” also looms large. PERIL’s Executive Director Bill Braniff reflects in this article for The New Yorker on how the “underlying causes of international terrorism” have persisted. 🔗 bit.ly/4cKDDdj

The U.S. Was Never Going to Win the “War on Terror”

In the twenty-five years since 9/11, the U.S. has waged several military campaigns against extremism around the world, resulting in the deaths of almost a million people. What has it accomplished?

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

We at PERIL offer our congratulations to Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Greer for being named an Obama Foundation Leader! The program inspires, empowers, and connects diverse leaders – PERIL, SPA, and AU are honored to see Ryan in this cohort. 🔗 bit.ly/4h3umy7 @au-spa.bsky.social

Ryan Greer, 2026-2027 Obama Foundation USA Leader

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

ICYMI: PERIL is very excited for the potential for our AI-generated content to reduce the uptake of antisemitic conspiracies and similar forms of hate and extremism. Using AI reduces influencer-related challenges and empowers scale. Read about it here: bit.ly/3UlXngV

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

PERIL’s NVE Tracker continues to monitor incidents across the country and abroad. This brief demonstrates that gore and TCC networks produce an oversized portion of NVE-related casualties and are growing rapidly. Youth-oriented prevention efforts should focus on these two pathways: bit.ly/4gM5niK

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Male supremacist ideology is becoming one of the prevalent forms of contemporary extremism in the world. In their recent academic article, PERIL Researchers Victoria Gurevich and Fielding Montgomery highlight the psychology of male radicalization and strategies for prevention.🔗https://bit.ly/4gAz1bZ

Frontiers | Conspiratorial misogyny and the radicalization continuum: male supremacy as a dominant ideology in contemporary extremism

Male supremacist ideology is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent forms of contemporary extremism in the world. In many ways, it is similar to how othe...

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Antisemitic narratives lead to real-world harm. PERIL developed AI-generated content to counteract these conspiracies and it worked. Our videos increased resilience to antisemitism and other forms of hate and extremism. We are very excited for this to make the internet a safer space: bit.ly/3UlXngV

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

A School Without Hate, authored by PERIL's Dr. Pasha Dashtgard and Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, translates years of research into practical, classroom-ready tools for preventing radicalization and building school cultures that protect every student. All book sale proceeds go to PERIL. 🔗 bit.ly/4gtYnbv

A School Without Hate

An in-depth look at hate and violence in schools that provides proactive, evidence-based practices for responding to troubling student behaviorsEducators are...

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

When dealing with hateful online narratives, it is becoming increasingly necessary to build resilience to them ahead of time. Kicking off PERIL’s new series on “pre-bunking” against violent rhetoric, this primer focuses on identifying four common manipulation tactics: bit.ly/4qJXkHJ

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

There’s still time to register for Going Mainstream on September 23. Join PERIL for our upcoming webinar as staff unpack how online male supremacy is filtering into higher education and what faculty and staff can do. Sept 23, 12pm ET. 🔗https://bit.ly/4xTxELi

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

As the WBNA becomes more popular, players are finding themselves increasingly the target of violent threats and abuse. PERIL’s Founder Cynthia Miller-Idriss recently discussed PERIL’s partnership with the Chicago Sky to prevent misogyny in women’s sports on NPR. Listen here: 🎧https://bit.ly/3UOCgE5

https://bit.ly/3UOCgE5

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

With mounting frequency, harmful, male-supremacist ideologies have filtered their way from fringe corners of the internet into campuses across America. PERIL's new resource is intended to aid colleges and universities in creating safe, healthy environments where all can thrive: bit.ly/4zx9V59

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The release of the Epstein files has created a powerful storm of legitimate outrage, conspiracy theories, and misinformation in media and online circles. In this final Mitigating Harms one-pager, PERIL researchers address how to identify and prevent manipulative tactics by bad actors: bit.ly/3S42hyt

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

You may have heard "looksmaxxing" said as a joke around campus but it started on male supremacist platforms. Join PERIL for our upcoming webinar as staff unpack how online male supremacy is filtering into higher education and what faculty and staff can do. Sept 23, 12pm ET. 🔗 bit.ly/4xTxELi

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Andrew Tate may be "passé and over" to young men now, but the manosphere remains: PERIL's Cynthia Miller-Idriss quoted in USA TODAY on how the toppling of the influencer doesn't touch the machine that produces them. 🔗 bit.ly/4gbd4ic

Will Trump free Andrew and Tristan Tate? Epstein files loom over case

President Trump could free Andrew and Tristan Tate but he hasn't. Why not? Because they're increasingly irrelevant and accused of child pornography.

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

As debate around the SAVE American Act continues in congress, online discourse on it runs the gamut including patterns of scapegoating, conspiracy theories, and us vs. them dichotomies. Read the full analysis by PERIL researchers and learn to identify and disrupt these harmful cycles: bit.ly/4gzzf2S

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Since launching in April, PERIL's Nihilistic Violent Extremism Tracker has added 29 new incidents from 2026 alone. The threat continues to shift and the data set helps enable researchers to spot patterns not captured by headlines alone. Explore the data here: bit.ly/4cT8NOS

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Recently, PERIL partnered with the Chicago Sky to bring the Be the Sixth Player campaign into the arena, with Sky players leading the call for fans to stand up against online hate. Watch the video shared at the game and explore the Sixth Player resources here: bit.ly/4vRAjDO

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Most crises follow a pattern: bad actors exploit fear to spread hate and division. PERIL's Mitigating Harms series tracks how manipulation and harmful narratives spread after each kind of crisis, and the evidence-based ways to counter them. Explore the series to date here: bit.ly/3TFdplM

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

"The central node is profit." PERIL's Cynthia Miller-Idriss on what actually drives online extremist messaging: not just ideology, but profiteers and malign actors selling fear-driven products. To stop it, you have to interrupt the profit motive. Listen here: 🎧 bit.ly/45G7xew

How Online Algorithms & Profit Motives Fuel Youth Radicalization | Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss

Doing Tech Right · Episode

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

"I think it's good and right to be pursuing two strategies at the same time." PERIL's Bill Braniff on CBS News, on balancing rehabilitation and public safety supervision in the wake of the Berlin attack. Watch the whole interview here: bit.ly/4xi9HNh

Inside Germany's deradicalization programs as Berlin Pride attack suspect identified

Bill Braniff, executive director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University, joins "The Daily Report" to break down the attack that took place at an LGBTQ+…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Nearly two years after it became a national flashpoint, xenophobic rhetoric targeting Haitian immigrants in Ohio is still circulating online. PERIL's newest one-pager tracks how these narratives persist, and how to interrupt them. 🔗 bit.ly/4brohtr

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Apply today! PERIL Research is looking for young adults to serve on our Youth Advisory Council. The YAC is a low-lift, high-impact volunteer opportunity for young people to help shape research. Ready to apply? For more information, visit

Youth Advisory Council - PERIL Research

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

The US is facing its largest measles outbreak in over 30 years, and 94% of cases are among the unvaccinated or those with unknown status. PERIL's latest analysis tracks the misinformation spreading alongside it, and how to interrupt it. 🔗 bit.ly/4x1H2Mk

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Every team has five players on the court. The sixth is you. PERIL's new playbook, Be the Sixth Player is a five-part guide for fans and families on stepping in when hate and harassment show up: in the stands, in the comments, and in everyday conversations. 🔗 bit.ly/4vRAjDO

PERIL & Sports - PERIL Research

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Free training for K-12 educators: Student Wellness, Equity and Resilience in an Online World. PERIL's Christine German joins the AFT's Share My Lesson webinar July 29 at 12pm EDT. Register to watch live or on demand. 🔗 bit.ly/4yPumtR

Student Wellness, Equity and Resilience in an Online World: Strategies for K–12

Students today encounter biased, emotionally charged, and harmful messages at increasingly young ages—often before they have the social-emotional development or critical awareness to evaluate what…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Terrorism prevention is a team effort. PERIL's Bill Braniff, Hala Furst, and Susan Szmania are among the inaugural members of Homeland Security Today's new Terrorism Prevention Editorial Board, launched to scale what works across the field. 🔗https://bit.ly/4vG9hzd

Homeland Security Today Announces Terrorism Prevention Editorial Board - HSToday

Washington, D.C. — Homeland Security Today, the premier nonprofit news and information platform serving the homeland security enterprise, today announced the official launch of its Terrorism…

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Even a Supreme Court ruling on tariffs became a vector for antisemitic conspiracy theories and us vs. them rhetoric. Read more in this next installment of PERIL's Crisis Mitigation series 🔗https://bit.ly/4fgVtEZ

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

"The public-health-informed approach...allows us to think about shared risk and protective factors for violence, and start to think about interventions that weren’t indexed on ideology.” PERIL's Bill Braniff in the New York Times on prevention-based approaches to targeted-violence. 🔗 bit.ly/4fpoQoW

Trump Administration Guts Efforts to Prevent Gun Violence, Suppressing Reports

As the administration works to expand gun rights, hospitals and community groups have lost funding, and reports on preventing firearm injuries have vanished from government websites.

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Weather conspiracies aren't just noise. They target disaster victims navigating recovery with disinformation and can fuel hostility toward the officials and communities helping them. PERIL's newest report breaks down the pattern of manipulation. 🔗 bit.ly/4vxkYbp

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

After the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, harmful narratives targeting LGBTQ+ and Latino communities spread quickly. The latest in PERIL's crisis response series documents harmful narratives in the wake of the shootings and how to address them. 🔗 bit.ly/4wu9q9H

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

The single most protective message a child can hear: If anyone threatens to embarrass you, I have your back. You will not be in trouble, and it is never too late to tell me. 🧵 4/4: bit.ly/4uZHJUT

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

...a calm, supportive conversation: a child who becomes secretive or distressed around their devices, unexplained marks or injuries, sudden withdrawal from school or activities, references to new online “friends” who demand constant contact, or accounts on platforms they hide. 🧵 3/4: bit.ly/4uZHJUT

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PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

They build trust to obtain compromising images or videos, then escalate demands under threat of exposure to family, friends, and classmates. Victims describe being afraid to attend school, withdrawing from friends, and feeling unable to tell anyone. Signals that warrant.... 🧵 2/4: bit.ly/4uZHJUT

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PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Across 104 documented 764 cases, the same coercion playbook appears again and again. The warning signs are learnable. Perpetrators typically pose as peers, often as another teenager. 🧵 1/4 Read more here: bit.ly/4uZHJUT

PERIL @perilresearch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Threats against members of Congress jumped from 9,474 to 14,938 in a single year. PERIL's Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Greer on the normalization of political violence and how deescalation can work. 🔗https://bit.ly/449n5XD

What Is the State of Political Violence in PA?

It’s not your imagination: American politics, including in Pennsylvania, has become more aggressive and, sadly, violent. From 2024 to 2025, the number of violent threats against members of Congr