Crowdsourced Political Violence: A Literature Review on How the Internet Embodies Leaderless Resistance and Empowers Lone Actors
| by Paula Granger
One of the most significant challenges and changes in political violence in modern times is not necessarily ideological but structural. The DHS and FBI identify lone offenders and small groups—particularly RMVEs, AGAAVEs, and HVEs—as persistent and lethal threats. Lone wolf attacks account for 93% of fatal terrorist incidents in the West in the past five years. These trends underscore how the Internet accelerates radicalization, connects lone actors to online communities, and provides logistical support.
