How misinformation in the aftermath of terror attacks has been used to influence public reactions by the UK far-right.

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This study will explore the tactics and techniques used by far-right groups to communicate misinformation on social media in the aftermath of terror attacks that shapes public perceptions and political agendas. Using a comparative case study design, and concepts attending to processes of social reaction, the research will engage with the following key questions:- How have far-right groups exploited misinformation following terror attacks to influence public behaviour and understanding, both online and offline?- Why have these groups constructed and communicated different types of messages following such events, and who have been their target audiences?- What implications do these findings have for understanding terror events, processes of social reaction and the contemporary media ecosystem?The research will make a distinctive contribution to understanding social reactions to terrorism, social media's role in crisis communications and the influence of rumours, propaganda and conspiracy theories in public sense-making. Specifically, whilst previous research has examined disinformation (deliberately misleading) communicated by hostile state actors following terrorism (Innes, 2020), by focusing specifically on misinformation (unintentionally misleading) and how far-right adherents exploit this, the research will address a particular gap in social scientific knowledge.