With the 2026 midterm elections approaching amid escalating political tensions and violence in the United States, a new report outlines nine practical steps online platforms can implement to help curb the spread of extremist content and threats targeting public officials.
- Platforms amplify and normalize fringe extremist views
- Trust and safety teams have been reduced amid growing threats
- Nine recommendations include design, policy, and operational changes
What happened
Ahead of the 2026 US midterms, political violence and threats against officials have surged to unprecedented levels, with incidents including assassination attempts and targeted attacks. This rising turmoil is fueled by intense polarization that intersects with online ecosystems.
Online platforms have played a notable role by enabling the mainstreaming of once-fringe extremist views, serving as channels to recruit individuals, distribute inciting narratives, and organize groups involved in political violence. However, the capability of platforms and government infrastructure to respond effectively has diminished in recent years.
Why it matters
The design and governance choices made by online platform owners and leaders directly influence the degree to which harmful content and extremist mobilization occur. Though external societal factors contribute, platforms are pivotal arenas where political violence content can either be amplified or mitigated.
As civic discourse becomes increasingly fraught, maintaining safe and trusted digital spaces is critical to protecting democratic processes and public safety. The degradation of trust and safety teams, alongside weakened government mechanisms, heightens risks that unchecked online extremism will further destabilize elections.
What to watch next
The report presents nine specific recommendations for platforms to adopt immediately and for the longer term, ranging from operational to product design changes aimed at preventing the mainstreaming of extremist content and reducing threats. These recommendations reflect broad expert input from academia, policy centers, and civil rights groups.
As the midterms approach, observers will focus on whether platforms enhance their trust and safety efforts and apply these recommendations to slow harmful activities online. Concurrently, legislative developments such as the US KIDS Act around child online safety may influence platform accountability and regulatory approaches moving forward.