Modern-Day Lynchings: The Long History of Gamified White Supremacist Terrorism
Modern-Day Lynchings: The Long History of Gamified White Supremacist Terrorism
Modern-Day Lynchings: The Long History of Gamified White Supremacist Terrorism
Samantha Olson, Jacob Ware
May, 19, 2025
Summary
The 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, livestreamed by white supremacist Payton Gendron, reflects a disturbing historical pattern of racialised violence designed for public spectacle. From 19th-century lynchings to modern digital massacres, white supremacists have exploited communication technologies—newspapers, telephones, social media—to publicise, gamify, and celebrate violence against Black people. Gamification, particularly through livestreamed “FPS-style” attacks, lowers barriers to violence and encourages copycats. These events echo the carnivalesque rituals of lynchings, now repackaged for the digital age. To disrupt this cycle, researchers and tech platforms must confront the deep historical roots of such violence and develop counternarratives that dismantle its performative appeal.
Reference
Olson, S., & Ware, J. (2025, May 19). Modern-day lynchings: The long history of gamified white supremacist terrorism. Global Network on Extremism & Technology. https://gnet-research.org/2025/05/19/modern-day-lynchings-the-long-history-of-gamified-white-supremacist-terrorism/