Model and Strategy
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue-US (ISD-US) is an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to fortifying democracy and individual rights against threats to public safety and national security being amplified through social media and AI, ensuring that communities and institutions can withstand the threats of the digital age. The organization combines advanced digital investigations, on-the-ground partnerships, and policy engagement, making it one of the few groups that both tracks online harms and helps communities respond to them in real time.
ISD-US’s strategy rests on several interconnected pillars. At the research and monitoring level, ISD analysts track activity across mainstream and fringe platforms in more than 30 languages, monitoring over 1,000 hate and extremism channels across the ideological spectrum. This intelligence is distilled into actionable briefings for policy makers at the local, state and federal level, election officials, journalists, and civil society partners, to stop imminent threats of violence, or contextualized analysis that provides an early-warning system against digital threats.
“Extremists seek to exploit identity, grievance and trust. Algorithms prioritize clicks, rage, and fear. Our job is to give communities the tools to see these attacks coming, to understand them, and to respond before the damage is done.” — Dixon Osburn, Executive Director, ISD - U.S.
At the policy and systems level, ISD-US provides threat intelligence to inform policymakers as they debate how best to protect our kids and communities and address illegal activity online, including terrorist content, human trafficking, and scams.
At the community level, ISD-US builds resilience through the Strong Cities Network, now anchored by a North America hub. More than 35 mayors are official partners, and many more participate, sharing strategies to prevent violence, counter polarization, and build social cohesion.
What distinguishes ISD-US is its ability to act as “one part James Bond’s Q Branch and one-part first responder,” combining data science and fieldwork to translate intelligence into practical safeguards for democracy. With the federal government gutting capacity at the FBI and DHS to track threats posed by extremists, and with the cancellation of federal grants to groups for local violence prevention efforts, ISD-US’s independence and global perspective have become increasingly vital to protecting the integrity of civic information systems.
Impact
ISD-US serves communities that are increasingly targeted by coordinated information manipulation, hate-fueled narratives, and extremist mobilization—especially those already vulnerable due to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. ISD-US measures success by threats disrupted, institutions strengthened, and communities empowered.
During the 2024 U.S. presidential election cycle, ISD-US analysts provided over 100 threat briefings to state and local officials. These covered acts of political violence, threats such as bomb hoaxes and powder-laced letters, mobilizations to disrupt fair elections, and AI-manipulated content targeting candidates. ISD-US’s rapid intelligence and training helped officials respond to online threats before they escalated.
ISD-US’s early-warning alerts have directly prevented harm. In Washington state, analysts identified a 13-year-old posting violent threats in “True Crime” forums; police later confirmed that ISD-US’s intervention helped stop a planned mass shooting. After a Minnesota school shooting, ISD-US translated and analyzed foreign-language materials within hours, providing critical evidence to law enforcement. These cases underscore the tangible public safety value of ISD-US’s monitoring and cross-sector collaboration.
At the civic level, ISD-US’s Strong Cities Network has enabled local governments to implement community-based prevention strategies, teacher training programs and digital literacy workshops. Partner cities report improved coordination between schools, police, and local media in countering online extremism. Globally, ISD’s frameworks are shaping policy and education. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 report Rethinking Media Literacy featured ISD’s models of the disinformation life cycle and socio-ecological resilience—frameworks now being adopted internationally to redesign media literacy programs at scale.
Taken together, ISD-US’s work demonstrates how data-driven insight and civic collaboration can operate in tandem: preventing harm in individual communities while influencing global approaches to information integrity. By blending digital intelligence, community engagement, and policy reform, ISD-US is helping democracy adapt and defend itself in an age of networked threats
Leadership
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Sasha Havlicek
Co-Founder & CEO
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Dixon Osburn
U.S. Executive Director