Young jihad supporters incorporate alt-right memes and language in their rise on social media

Our Moustafa Ayad wrote an op-ed for WIRED about Generation Z jihadists and the varying aspects that influence their outlooks as the post-September 11 generation. This group of young jihad supporters have access to the same social media platforms as the rest of the world, however they are drawing from white nationalist, authoritarians and fascists to frame their own jokes and religious references with similar memes and vocabulary. Ayad’s research in this field over the past year was released in our report series ‘Gen-Z & The Digital Salafi Ecosystem‘ and referenced in this piece.

Moustafa Ayad  is the Executive Director for Africa, the Middle East and Asia at ISD. You can find a range of his work in our publications section.