Reclaiming digital tactics to organise communities and drive power shifts.
Over the last decade, populist and radical right movements have built outsized influence by mastering digital platforms and the attention economy. The people driving these movement understand that in order to win they need to do more than just optimise for engagement. They have become masters of organising communities, shaping cultural moments, and converting online visibility into real-world power shifts.
This session will explore how these actors have successfully used digital channels to grow their reach and influence, often far beyond their actual size or real-world popular support. Drawing on examples from global politics, you will map the digital tactics that have driven this growth, and find out how we can reclaim them to win a more progressive future. You’ll find out how simple messages, relatable messengers, community coordination, cultural co-option, and sustained investment in persuasion are tools that can, in fact, work for everyone.
This session is for any fundraiser who is looking to move members of the public online, shining a light on the strategies that have driven radical shifts in political movements. Join us to explore how progressive organisations are beginning to reclaim these tactics ethically, through collaboration, experimentation and shared learning, to build stronger movements, reach beyond their existing bases, and win the fights that matter most.
Learning outcomes
- Understand how populist and radical right actors have moved beyond simple content creation to build digital influence, using attention, culture, and community
- Identify the key digital tactics driving their growth, and why these approaches travel across countries, issues, and movements
- Learn how progressive causes can ethically reclaim these tactics to reach new audiences, build power, and strengthen their digital fundraising and mobilisation