International Conference 'The Invisible Middle: Understanding Online Extremism in Middle-Aged Adults in Europe'

We are pleased to announce our international conference “The Invisible Middle: Understanding Online Extremism in Middle-Aged Adults in Europe,” which will take place on 29 January 2026 at the NH Brussels EU Berlaymont, Bd Charlemagne 11/19, Brussels.

The conference will bring together policymakers, journalists, security experts, researchers, and digital platform representatives to examine the dynamics of online extremism and its societal implications, with a particular focus on middle-aged adults. While research and policy have traditionally focused on youth, growing evidence shows that middle-aged adults, who are highly active online and often occupy influential social and professional roles, play a significant yet under-researched role in the spread of extremist, polarising and misleading content.

Through interdisciplinary perspectives, this conference will explore the cultural, technological and psychological dimensions shaping online engagement among middle-aged adults. It will also provide a space for exchange between EU-funded initiatives addressing extremism, disinformation and social cohesion, with the aim of generating policy-relevant insights and practical recommendations.

Panel I: Presentation of Project Findings will highlight key research insights on the digital behaviours of middle-aged adults, including how extremist narratives circulate through social media, messaging apps, and online communities. The findings also examine how misinformation, polarising content, and identity-based narratives affect this often-overlooked demographic, providing evidence to guide targeted interventions.

Panel II: Media and Cultural Perspectives on Online Extremism will explore how media narratives, visual storytelling and cultural content can both reinforce and counter extremist ideologies, including a documentary screening and discussion.

Panel III: Common Challenges and Best Practices from Related Projects will bring together representatives of EU-funded research initiatives to exchange lessons learned, methodological insights and promising approaches to prevention and resilience-building.

Panel IV: Policy Discussion – From Evidence to Action will convene policymakers, platform representatives, and practitioners to translate research findings into actionable strategies for countering online harms, strengthening digital resilience and informing platform governance and public policy.

Overall, this conference aims to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the role of middle-aged adults in contemporary online extremism ecosystems and to foster cross-sector dialogue on effective prevention and intervention strategies. By connecting research, practice and policy, the event seeks to support evidence-based, collaborative approaches to countering online extremism and promoting a more resilient digital public sphere.

For inquiries about the conference, please contact: m.busra@inclusiveeuropa.eu. To know more about the panel speakers, please visit https://www.smidgeproject.eu/the-invisible-middle-conference To register for the event, please visit the following link: Registration link

MORNING SESSION

09:00 – 09:30 | Arrival & Registration

• Welcome coffee and networking

  
  

09:30 – 09:40 | Opening Remarks

• Welcome from INEU and introduction to the conference objectives

  
  

09:40 – 10:00 | Keynote Address

• The Origins of the SMIDGE Project – How the project came to life? | Dr. Sara Wilford (De Montfort University)

  
  

10:00 – 11:30 | Panel I: Presentation of SMIDGE Findings

Moderator: Dr. Nitika Bhalla, De Montfort University

• Beyond disinformation and online extremism: evidence and recommendations | Prof. Dr. Giovanni Ziccardi (University of Milan)

• HYPE Spaces: evolving dynamics, trends and mainstreaming of online extremism | Dr. Line Nybro Petersen (University of Copenhagen)

• Insights from surveys, interviews and focus groups | Prof Kalypso Iordanou & Dr. Vasiliki Christodoulou (UCLAN Cyprus)

• Networks, Moral Framing & Sentiments | Christian Gulas (FAS Research)

• Scaling impact and future training | Fabrizio Boldrini (Fondazione Villa Montesca)

  
  

11:30 – 11:45 | Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:00 | Panel II: Media and Cultural Perspectives on Online Extremism

• Opening remarks by Professor Jason Lee (De Montfort University)

• Documentary Screening (50 min)

• Discussion with filmmakers Sian Hamlett and Mitchell Harris

  
  

LUNCH BREAK | 13:00 – 14:00

AFTERNOON SESSION

14:00 – 15:15 | Panel III: Common Challenges and Best Practices from Related Projects

Moderator: Ludmila Malai, Inclusive Europe

• Mitigating risk and assessing threats in a hybridized digital landscape | Line Nybro Petersen (SMIDGE, UCPH)

• From everyday extremism to political attunement: Building democratic capacities for democratic resilience | Sandra Obradovic, Joana Ricarte (OppAttune) 

• ARENAS Representative

• ENCODE Representative

  
  

15:15 – 15:30 | Coffee Break

15:30 – 17:00 | Panel IV: Policy Discussion – From Evidence to Action

Moderator: Dan Ilazi, Kosovar Centre for Security Studies

• How the EU’s Digital Policy Framework Tackles Online Harms | Kai Zenner, Digital Policy Adviser

• Becky Slack, Journalist & Director of Agenda

• Anna De Marchi, DG CONNECT

• A representative from the EU Knowledge Hub On Prevention of Radicalisation 

• Saman Nazari, Alliance4Europe

• A representative from Lie Detectors

  
  

17:00 – 17:15 | Closing & Next Steps

• Reflections from SMIDGE Partners