What’s so-called “Jihadi cool”?

The extremist content quietly spreading on TikTok and Instagram, targeting unsuspecting young people. Through what is disguised as innocuous lifestyle content, supporters of jihadist groups, like IS and al-Qaeda, reach audiences outside their echo chamber. This is a recruitment drive that signals a move from direct operational instructions to “do-it-yourself jihad”, with the aim to inspire lone wolf attacks. We explore the tactics used to obscure and evade detection, the challenges this poses for platforms and how it has become a relentless game of whack-a-mole.