Far-Right Radicalization Traced to Facebook groups, Study Finds
London - A network of Facebook groups, collectively boasting over 611,289 members as of July 29, 2025, has been identified as a breeding ground for far-right radicalization, according to research by The Guardian. the inquiry reveals how seemingly innocuous discussions, often centered around issues like immigration, can be exploited to spread conspiracy theories and incite extremist views.
Researchers found that existing “confirmation bias” within these groups creates an habitat where far-fetched ideas can easily take root. “When people feel that they’re connecting with others who have the same idea, it’s a community, but then when the community starts to have an agenda and leaders emerge it becomes a structure,” explained Dr.Van der Linden.
The study highlights how initial conversations about topics like immigration can serve as an “entry point” to a wider range of conspiracy beliefs,according to Deo. Sara Wilford, a lead researcher on the EU-funded Smidge project, noted that misinformation frequently enough contains elements of truth, but is “cynically distorted to exaggerate or exclude certain facts.” She also emphasized the role of individuals with large social media followings – “bad actors” - in amplifying these narratives.
The researchers point to the evolution from the Pizzagate conspiracy theory into the QAnon movement as an example of how online conspiracies can mobilize real-world action. Dr. Van der Linden connected this dynamic to recent unrest, stating, “When you have enough angry people and you get them together and you direct that anger towards a singular goal, such as immigrants, that can be and that’s what led to the Southport [and subsequent] riots.”
The Guardian’s full methodology, including details on its use of OpenAI‘s API, is available here. The publication’s generative AI principles can be found here. Additional reporting was contributed by Olivia Lee and Carmen Aguilar García.
