The internet has fundamentally reshaped politics, allowing the far-right to effectively spread extreme ideas and conspiracy theories, often leveraging financial incentives and influencer culture. This shift is mainstreaming once-fringe concepts like 'remigration' and 'the great reset,' blurring the lines of acceptable discourse and posing risks of real-world violence.
The article details how the internet has revolutionized political discourse, with the right adeptly using online platforms while liberals struggle to adapt. It highlights how figures like Tucker Carlson, by hosting white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes, capitalize on audience cross-pollination on platforms like YouTube. This online engagement transforms into worldviews, pushing extreme ideas like 'total remigration'—deporting those with migrant backgrounds—from fringe concepts to official party platforms, as seen with Germany's AfD and even the US Department for Homeland Security. Conspiracy theories like the 'great reset' also gain traction, linking societal upheaval to a need for resistance against a 'nebulous they.' Monetary incentives, such as X's ad revenue sharing, further fuel this 'ambient extremism,' rewarding posts that spread Islamophobia and other divisive content. The article illustrates how far-right ideas, once confined to obscure forums, now circulate in mainstream discourse, with influencers like Jordan Peterson, Nigel Farage, Tommy Robinson, and Elon Musk amplifying them. While providing a powerful platform, this digital landscape also carries risks, as online attention is uncontrollable and can escalate into real-world violence, exemplified by the US civil unrest and warnings of similar potential in the UK.
