The Hague’s Advanced Summer Programme
Life After Hate leadership recently had the privilege of attending the 15th edition of the Advanced Summer Programme on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and the Rule of Law at The Hague, co-organized by ICCT and the Asser Institute. This year’s program focused specifically on counter-terrorism in the digital age, examining how the growing accessibility of technologies, ranging from social media and gaming platforms to virtual reality and artificial intelligence, has enabled terrorists to expand their reach, particularly among younger online users.
The program also grappled with a fundamental question facing democracies worldwide: as terrorist activities trigger increases in security laws and measures, are these responses lawful, legitimate, and proportionate to their impact on the rule of law and human rights? This intensive gathering brought together international experts and practitioners to examine these critical challenges.
The Rising Tide of Global Violence
Our participation reinforced the urgency of our mission: hate-fueled and politically motivated violence is surging globally. Two key drivers emerged from discussions with international colleagues.
First, we’re witnessing an increasingly toxic information environment where disinformation and conspiracy theories spread rapidly through social media and online forums. This digital pollution doesn’t just mislead, it actively provides the ideological fuel for violent acts.
Second, political polarization has reached dangerous new heights. Growing partisan and identity-based divisions now routinely characterize political opponents as “evil” or “less than human.” This dehumanization creates a climate where violence becomes not just possible, but justified.
The Emergence of Nihilistic Extremism
Perhaps most concerning was the plenary on nihilistic extremism, also known as nihilistic violent extremism (NVE). This represents a new frontier in the evolution of terrorism—violence driven not by political ideology or religious fervor, but by a hatred of society and a desire for destruction and chaos.
The FBI now uses this term to describe perpetrators who commit acts of “violence for the sake of violence,” without advancing a cause. This form of extremism particularly targets vulnerable youth through online subcultures that glorify violence, nihilism, and misanthropy. Groups like 764, started in the US have now gone exemplify this growing threat to public safety.
Addressing Online Radicalisation through New Regulations
The programme highlighted how online platforms have become primary pipelines for extremist recruitment and radicalization. In response, new regulations like the EU’s Terrorist Content Online Regulation now require platforms to remove terrorist content within one hour of notification. Since June 2022, over 1,200 removal orders have been issued under these rules.
The EU is also investing heavily in research to understand how algorithmic echo chambers, misinformation, and radical content spread among different demographic groups—not just youth, but middle-aged populations as well. This research is crucial for developing effective counter-narratives and prevention strategies and we hope to see federal funding return.
Beyond Law Enforcement: A Whole-of-Society Approach
One of the programme’s most important insights was the recognition that preventing extremism requires far more than law enforcement alone. The EU’s internal security strategy, ProtectEU, emphasizes that citizens, businesses, civil society organizations, and researchers all have vital roles to play.
This whole-of-society approach includes projects and campaigns targeting youth while simultaneously working with educators and community leaders to build resilience, promote alternative narratives, and directly challenge violent ideologies at the community level.
The international community is developing new legal frameworks for prosecuting violent extremism across the political spectrum—far-right, far-left, and everything in between. These guidelines help define how to legally address acts conducive to terrorism while ensuring the protection of human rights norms throughout the process.
Applications for Our Work
The programme provided valuable insights for Life After Hate’s mission. We explored methodologies for engaging individuals involved in hate-fueled violence across various international contexts, examining both community-based and online program structures and their documented successes.
Of particular interest was the discussion of programs for individuals who have been radicalized abroad and wish to return to their home countries. The specialized interventions needed, safety concerns, and complex legal implications were examined from both EU and broader international perspectives. This gap in services will need to be addressed in order to ensure tertiary prevention programs cover the needs of all individuals looking to leave hate behind.
Moving Forward
Our time at The Hague reinforced that the challenges we face are global in scope, but so too are the opportunities for collaboration and learning. The rise of nihilistic extremism, the weaponization of digital spaces, and the deepening of social divisions require comprehensive, multi-disciplinary responses that go far beyond traditional approaches.
As we continue our work helping individuals leave hate-fueled violence, these global insights inform our understanding of the evolving extremist landscape and strengthen our commitment to evidence-based intervention strategies. The fight against hate may be global, but it’s won one intervention at a time.
