Platforming right-wing views helps normalise them

Interviewing right-wing extremists such as Tommy Robinson in the media is helping to normalise extreme right views and hate speech, according to new research.

The new study found that it did not matter whether the interview was on traditional mainstream TV or online channels such as YouTube, being exposed to an extreme right interview had the same effect on attitudes and norms.

The research showed individuals were more likely to agree with extreme right statements - and think that others agreed with those statements - if the right-wing activist’s extreme and false claims were not challenged by the journalist during an interview.

“Our study shows the importance of journalists adopting a critical, challenging tone,” explained study co-author Dr Diane Bolet, from the University of Essex. “We found that platforming unchallenged, extreme right content persuades individuals and normalises extreme views in society, boosting support for these extreme ideas and shifting what it regarded as acceptable. It is very sobering, especially for those who think that extreme right views lose credibility when broadcast.”

However, even when right-wing activists’ claims were challenged during an interview, simply having a media platform to share their views helped give the impression that their opinions were more widely held in society.

The research, published in the British Journal of Political Science, involved Dr Bolet, from Essex’s Department of Government, working with Dr Florian Foos, from the London School of Economics’ Department of Government.

The growing success of the far right in elections around the world has been accompanied by an increasing presence of far-right views and political activists in public life.

The research team carried out two large scale audio experiments based on real-life interviews with extreme right political figures in the UK and Australia.

The first experiment involved a Sky News UK interview with the former co-founder and leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson. During the interview he advocated for the introduction of a ‘Trump-style’ travel ban to restrict the number of refugees from ‘failed states’ because he associated refugees with terrorist attacks. However, he was challenged several times by the journalist, who also raised the inaccuracy of some of his claims.

In the Sky News Australia interview, former United Patriots Front leader and extreme right activist Blair Cottrell argued that Australia should not accept African immigrants who were ‘too culturally dissimilar to Australia’.

The interviewer resigned from Sky News Australia after the broadcast as he did not challenge any of Mr Cottrell’s false claims made during the interview.

“It has become much more commonplace for extreme right views to be given a platform in the media, making extreme right viewpoints more widespread and available to audiences,” added Dr Bolet. “Our study’s findings have significant implications for politicians, policymakers and journalists.”