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International Conference
The Invisible Middle: Understanding Online Extremism in Middle-Aged Adults in Europe
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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For inquiries about the conference, please contact: m.busra@inclusiveeuropa.eu.
Download the full conference programme here.
Panel I: Presentation of SMIDGE Findings
Line Nybro Petersen
Dr. Line Nybro Petersen is Associate Professor in Media Studies at the University of Copenhagen. Her research spans media and cultural studies with a focus on social media, conspiracy theories, extremism, and platform studies, and she is leads the SMIDGE Project.
Fabrizio Boldrini
Fabrizio Boldrini is the Director General of the Fondazione Hallgarten-Franchetti Centro Studi Villa Montesca. He has authored books on emotional intelligence and critical thinking in school curricula and has extensive experience leading European-level educational initiatives and research projects.
Kalypso Iordanou
Dr. Kalypso Iordanou is a Professor of Psychology at UCLan Cyprus and Director of the Thinking Lab. She specialises in argumentation, epistemic belief development, cognition and discourse, and leads researches on cognition and digital society.
Giovanni Ziccardi
Giovanni Ziccardi is Professor of Legal Informatics at the University of Milan. He holds a PhD in Legal Informatics and has extensive expertise in cybercrime, digital evidence, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the legal and ethical implications of emerging technologies.
Vasiliki Christodoulou
Dr. Vasiliki Christodoulou is an Assistant Professor in Psychology and Course Leader of the MSc Forensic Psychology programme at UCLan Cyprus. Her research focuses on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and psychological wellbeing across the lifespan.
Panel II: Media and Cultural Perspectives on Online Extremism
Professor Jason Lee
Professor Jason Lee is Professor of Film, Media and Culture at De Montfort University. He is also Head of Partnerships in the Leicester Media School and a British Academy Innovation Fellow, known for his interdisciplinary work on media, culture and social issues, and as the author/editor of numerous books.
Sian Hamlett
Sian Hamlett – Director & Founder, Hamlett Films
Sian Hamlett is the Founder and Managing Director of Hamlett Films, an award-winning UK production company specialising in educational and socially impactful films and interactive content. She has produced and directed over 500 films.
Mitchell Harris
Mitchell Harris is Senior Editor and Technologist at Hamlett Films. He specialises in post-production, motion design, and creative storytelling, contributing to award-winning educational and media projects across film and digital platforms.
Panel III: Common Challenges and Best Practices from Related Projects
Ludmila Malai
Ludmila Malai is an EU Project Manager with extensive experience across AMIF, CERV, ISF and Horizon Europe projects. She holds degrees in Economics, Politics, Diplomacy, International Law and Security Studies, and has significant expertise in writing and coordinating EU-funded projects on countering violent extremism and radicalisation, as well as women’s empowerment and youth engagement.
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Joana Ricarte
Joana Ricarte is a project manager and researcher at OppAttune, specialising in EU-funded projects on preventing and countering violent extremism, social inclusion, and civic engagement. She has significant experience in project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and research activities related to radicalisation, gender, and community resilience.
Line Nybro Petersen
Dr. Line Nybro Petersen is Associate Professor in Media Studies at the University of Copenhagen. Her research spans media and cultural studies with a focus on social media, conspiracy theories, extremism, and platform studies, and she is leads the SMIDGE Project.
Louise Burté
Louise is a Ph.D. student working for the WP5 of the ARENAS project, which focuses on mediating and remediating extremist narratives. She is interested in issues of violence and extremism, particularly in identifying and preventing them through an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, her research focused on analyzing forms of cyberviolence, whether overt or covert, from linguistic and sociological perspectives. For her thesis, she is analyzing the impact of recent pedagogical interventions with high school students from different European countries.
Sandra Obradovic
Sandra Obradovic is a researcher and practitioner at OppAttune with extensive experience in preventing and countering violent extremism, social cohesion, and democratic resilience. She has strong expertise in qualitative research, policy analysis, and the design and implementation of EU-funded projects focused on radicalisation, youth engagement, and community-based prevention approaches.
Seyma Celem
Seyma Celem is a Project Manager for the ENCODE project. She specializes in advocacy, democratic resilience and representation, preventing violent extremism (PVE), online radicalisation, and youth empowerment. She has coordinated and contributed to multiple EU-funded projects and academic initiatives across policy, research, and civil society domains.
She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and is currently in the preparation phase of her PhD.
Panel IV: Policy Discussion – From Evidence to Action
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Dan Ilazi, KCSS
Dan Ilazi is Head of Research at the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS). He leads research on security, foreign policy, and geopolitical developments in the Western Balkans.
Kai Zenner
Kai Zenner is Head of Office and Digital Policy Adviser to MEP Axel Voss in the European Parliament, where he works on EU digital legislation including AI, data protection, and platform regulation.
Becky Slack
Becky Slack is
co-director of Agenda.
She is a media and communications specialist with expertise in journalism, disinformation and social impact narratives.
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Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck
Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck is the Founder and Executive Director of Lie Detectors, an award-winning European news-literacy organization that partners journalists with schools to combat disinformation and polarization. Juliane is a former award-winning journalist with two decades of experience at outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Newsweek, she has been recognized for her work as an EU “Local Hero.”
Saman Nazari
Saman Nazari is Lead Researcher at Alliance4Europe. His work focuses on democracy, information manipulation and the impact of digital technologies on political processes.
Anna De Marchi
Anna De Marchi works at DG CONNECT, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology. Her work supports EU digital policy and technology governance initiatives.