VOX-Pol is a 60-month project supported by the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme Network of Excellence. It integrates the world's leading researchers and research groups in Violent Online Political Extremism (VOPE) with security practitioners in order to create a sustainable critical mass of innovative activity among what is currently a burgeoning, but fragmented group of researchers and end users across Europe and globally. The overall aim of the project is to raise awareness of the challenges for research and policy-making in this area by exploring the interplay of e-research ethics, privacy, surveillance, freedom of speech, and practices of and responses to VOPE. Across the duration of the project, there will be workshops, training academies, summer courses and two major conferences, in addition to support for publications and network development.

CMDS research focus within the project is focused on assessing the role of internet intermediaries in responding to VOPE; to evaluate policy responses at the EU and global level, and to consider the complexities of the relationship between technology, free expression, and policy that lie at the heart of the relationship between global security and human rights, and are necessary for an approach to address extreme and violent content online. CMDS is also responsible for organizing project summer courses and training academies and will host the 2015 VOX-Pol Training Academy at CEU.

The VOX-Pol Network of Excellence is funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement No. 312827.