Deadline: 23-Nov-22
The European Commission (EC) has announced a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for Enhanced Fight Against the Abuse of Online Gaming Culture by Extremists.
Proposed activities should take into account the evolving nature of this type of crime and of technology, and be performed while respecting the applicable legislation and fundamental rights, such as privacy and protection of personal data. Societal dimension should be in the core of proposed activities, with a support of technologies.
The consortia should consist in Police Authorities, representatives of gaming industry, gaming experts, IT specialists, (cyber) psychologists and sociologists. This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
Social innovation is recommended when the solution is at the socio-technical interface and requires social change, new social practices, social ownership or market uptake. Participation of relevant Civil Society Organisations or gaming communities would be an added value. Analysis of the possible applications of research results to other similar problems (e.g. child sexual abuse) is welcome.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
Projects’ results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes:
- Enhanced knowledge on the use of online gaming culture and structure by violent extremists as well as their modus operandi through video game chatrooms, used as their recruitment tools;
- European Police Authorities benefit from better, innovative and validated tools and training curricula (which take into account legal and ethical rules of operation, as well as fundamental rights such as privacy and protection of personal data) to tackle violent radicalisation through online gaming culture;
- Increased awareness of citizens about online radicalisation through gaming culture;
- Enhanced protection of youth in the gaming environment against recruitment into violent radicalisation;
- Improved shared understanding and cooperation between different actors involved, including security practitioners, gaming industry, social media, video game hosting services and civil society;
- Improved shaping and tuning by security policy-makers of regulation on preventing abuse of online gaming culture by violent extremists.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
-
eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- low- and middle-income countries.
For more information, visit European Commission.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3QZ3PEj