On 29th January 2025, Digital Futures hosted a compelling talk by Dr Ben Collier, exploring the concept of influence policing. Initially developed for counter-radicalisation efforts, this approach now extends to tackling cybercrime, knife crime, and online child abuse. The event brought together researchers, policymakers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to discuss the implications of these digital interventions and their growing role in UK law enforcement.
About Speaker: Dr Ben Collier
Dr Ben Collier is a Lecturer in Digital Methods at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in the intersection of technology, security, and society. His research explores digital infrastructures as sites of power, harm, and resistance, drawing from Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Criminology. His work delves into online harm, cybercrime communities, and law enforcement’s digital interventions. Dr Collier has extensively studied the use of digital influence campaigns by police and security agencies, examining their ethical and social implications.
He is the author of Tor: From the Dark Web to the Future of Privacy (MIT Press), a cultural history of the Tor Project, exploring its role in anonymity, privacy advocacy, and the ongoing battles over digital surveillance. His research contributes to shaping discussions around digital policing, online safety, and the evolving role of technology in governance.
Dr Ben Collier’s talk explored these challenges, questioning the balance between public safety and civil liberties in the age of algorithmic-driven policing.
Key takeaways from the talk
- Influence Policing is transforming law enforcement by using social marketing and behaviorist techniques to influence public behaviour through targeted digital campaigns.
- Rise of Behaviorist Policing: Inspired by Cameron’s Nudge policies, police now use data-driven interventions to alter decision-making, shifting from traditional enforcement to proactive digital influence.
- Targeted Digital Campaigns & Risk Mapping: Police analyse social media, browsing behaviour, and location data to categorise individuals into risk groups and shape their choices through personalised digital nudges.
- Strategic Police Communications: The role of police communication has evolved from public awareness to direct behavioural modification, using insights from psychology, sociology, and marketing.
Real-World Applications:
- Cybercrime prevention: Ads warning young people against searching for hacking tools.
- Knife crime deterrence: Targeted messages for at-risk youth in urban areas.
- Counter-terrorism efforts: Ads displayed to individuals near high-security locations.
- Home Office deterrent campaigns: Messages discouraging asylum seekers from crossing the Channel.
- Ethical & Privacy Concerns: These campaigns raise issues regarding surveillance, data privacy, and consent, with little transparency on targeting and decision-making processes.
- Challenges in Measuring Effectiveness: Engagement metrics are available, but there is no clear evidence on whether these interventions genuinely reduce crime or simply modify online behaviour.
- Future of Influence Policing: Law enforcement agencies worldwide, including Interpol and the FBI, are adopting similar strategies. The rise of Generative AI could further disrupt these methods.
Check out the seminar ⬇️
Interactive Discussions: Attendees engaged in lively Q&A sessions, leading to insightful conversations on research impact and future challenges.
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