#Dark inspiration: Eudaimonic entertainment in extremist Instagram posts. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frischlich, Lena
• Is Part Of: New media & society. Volume 23:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 554
• Page End: 577
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Aggregated user responses -- eudaimonic entertainment -- Instagram -- Islamic extremism -- mixed-methods -- propaganda; Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media and culture -- Periodicals; Information technology -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Internet -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 302.2305
• DOI: 10.1177/1461444819899625
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-4448

Abstract

Eudaimonic entertainment, which motivates a reflection on topics such as virtue or meaning, has many benefits, such as fostering wellbeing and inspiring prosocial behavior. Yet, it may also have a darker side when Islamic extremists use accordant elements in online propaganda. So far, this "dark inspiration" has attracted little scholarly interest. The current article fills this gap via a mixed-methods case study of an Islamic extremist influencer on Instagram. The study combined a qualitative content analysis of the account's postings from 2016 to 2018 ( n = 301 posts), with a hierarchical cluster analysis and digital data on aggregated user response to these posts. I found four types of post, ranging from calls for conservativism to calls for violent jihad. Different eudaimonic cues were used in all four types. Likes and comments varied as a function of type, with the violence promoting posts motivating the largest number of user responses.