Interactive Tool

Decoding Online Influence

Learn to recognize how relatable content can be a pathway to radicalization

How Radicalization Works Online

Far-right influencers use relatable "gateway" topics to build trust before introducing extremist ideology. Understanding this pattern is the first step to resisting it.

🚪 Gateways

Relatable, non-political topics used to attract and build an audience. These feel like common frustrations.

Economic Grievance Gender Grievance Anti-Woke Anti-Elite Self-Improvement

🎯 Endpoints

The ideological destinations—core far-right beliefs about how society should be organized.

Nativism & Exclusion Authoritarianism Conspiratorial Ideology

Test Your Recognition Skills

Can you identify the gateways and endpoints in these real-style posts?

Post 1 of 4
"Dating apps have destroyed relationships. Women have unlimited options so they only go for the top guys. The rest of us are invisible. No wonder men are giving up."
What gateway does this use? (select one)
What endpoint does this contain? (select one)
Post 2 of 4
"Giving women rights was civilization's biggest mistake. They vote emotionally for security over freedom every time. Democracy + women's suffrage = societal collapse. Every empire that empowered women fell."
What gateway does this use? (select one)
What endpoint does this contain? (select one)
Post 3 of 4
"Politicians don't care about regular people. They're all corrupt and self-serving. The system is broken. Rules for thee but not for me."
What gateway does this use? (select one)
What endpoint does this contain? (select one)
Post 4 of 4
"The same people who own the media, own the banks, own the politicians. They want open borders because cheap labor benefits them while destroying your community. Look at who's funding these NGOs. Do the pattern recognition. Every. Single. Time."
What gateway does this use? (select one)
What endpoint does this contain? (select one)

Nice work!

0 of 4

You've taken the first step in learning to recognize how extremist content disguises itself.

Key Takeaway

Radicalization rarely starts with explicit extremism. It begins with relatable frustrations—about dating, money, feeling unheard—then gradually introduces ideology. The pattern is: build trust with gateways, then introduce endpoints. Recognizing this pattern helps you think critically about the content you consume.