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Tech Against Terrorism

Want to learn more about how terrorists and violent extremists are using the internet to communicate and share propaganda? Perhaps you’re interested in why terrorists share their manifestos online and livestream their attacks? The Tech Against Terrorism podcast is a deep dive into the evolving use of the internet by terrorists and violent extremists, how this relates to real world harms, and what can be done to support the tech sector to disrupt this threat. Join us as we speak to the world’s leading experts in this field and uncover everything from the online propaganda behind an IS prison break in Syria, to the online network of neo-Nazis behind a foiled terrorist plot in Texas.

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Tech Against Terrorism

Game On: How Simulations are Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Responses

February 20, 2025 • Tech Against Terrorism

Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges.

In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on political violence, alongside Eleanor Ross, Director of Game Design at Valens Games. Together, they discuss how immersive wargames and AI-driven narrative simulations are shaping the future of intelligence and counter-terrorism training.

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ About the intersection of gaming and counter-terrorism

➡︎ How Valens Games develops simulations for practitioners

➡︎ The real-world applications of video game technology in security strategy

➡︎ The Challenges and risks associated with gamifying counter-terrorism training

➡︎ The role of AI and interactive storytelling in security simulations

📱Connect with Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Eleanor Ross.

📚Learn more about Valens Games here.

⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.

🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.

💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.

📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.