Ross Frenett

Ross Frenett
Frenett in 2026
Member of An Coimisiún Toghcháin
Incumbent
Assumed office
2026
Appointed byCatherine Connolly, President of Ireland
Personal details
EducationUniversity College Cork
King's College London
OccupationCounter-extremism specialist, technology executive
Known for
Co-founding Moonshot

Ross Frenett is an Irish counter-extremism specialist and technology executive. He is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Moonshot, a company that uses data analytics and digital campaigns to address online harms. In 2026, he was appointed as a member of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission of Ireland.

Early life and education

Frenett is from Cobh, County Cork. He studied History and Politics at University College Cork and later completed a master's degree in Security and Society at King's College London.

Career

Before co-founding Moonshot, Frenett worked at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue as the director of Against Violent Extremism, a network of former extremists and survivors of violent extremism. His early work focused on the use of online platforms by extremist movements, violent dissident republicanism and female ISIS recruits.

In 2015, Frenett co-founded Moonshot with Vidhya Ramalingam. The company was founded in London and initially focused on countering violent extremism and terrorism. It later expanded its work to include disinformation, organised crime, gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation.

Electoral Commission

In April 2026, the Government of Ireland nominated Frenett and Lee Komito for appointment by the President as ordinary members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin. Motions recommending their appointment were agreed by both Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann in May 2026.

References

  1. ↑ Keyes, Sean (2021-07-07). ""Desire for identity, belonging and meaning" – how Moonshot co-founder Ross Frenett talks political extremists back from the edge". The Currency. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  2. ↑ MacFarquhar, Neil (2019-12-30). "White Extremism Faces a Subversive Foe Online: Google Ads". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Taylor, Charlie. "'We work in the sewers of the mind' – Moonshot's Ross Frenett on fighting threats online". Sunday Business Post.
  4. 1 2 3 O'Shea, Joe (18 June 2021). "Meet the Cork man behind major tech company targetting terrorism and organised crime". CorkBeo.
  5. 1 2 "Members of the Commission". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  6. ↑ "'I'm worried people in their 50s and 60s are being radicalised': meet the man fighting online disinformation". Irish Independent. 2026-08-15. Retrieved 2026-09-04.
  7. 1 2 "Cork man appointed to Electoral Commission". TheCork.ie (News & Entertainment). 2026-06-30. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  8. ↑ "Four UCC alumni to receive Alumni Achievement Award". www.redfm.ie. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  9. 1 2 "Viewpoints: How should radicalisation be tackled?". BBC News. 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2026-07-02.
  10. ↑ Frenett, Ross (2024-12-15), "Uncomfortable Truths: A Practitioner Perspective on the Pitfalls of Engaging Formers for Violence Prevention", in Clubb, Gordon; Scrivens, Ryan; Islam, Md. Didarul (eds.), Former Extremists: Preventing and Countering Violence, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-776506-7, retrieved 2026-07-01
  11. ↑ Frenett, Ross; Smith, M. L. R. (2012-07-01). "IRA 2.0: Continuing the Long War—Analyzing the Factors Behind Anti-GFA Violence". Terrorism and Political Violence. 24 (3): 375–395. doi:10.1080/09546553.2011.624862. ISSN 0954-6553.
  12. ↑ Gallagher, Conor. "Dissident republicans operate 'broad, unsophisticated online networks'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  13. ↑ "Female Muslim converts drawn to Islamic State". BBC News. 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  14. ↑ LaChance, Naomi (2016-09-07). "Google Program to Deradicalize Jihadis Will Be Used for Right-Wing American Extremists Next". The Intercept. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  15. ↑ Taylor, Charlie (17 June 2021). "Moonshot to establish software development centre in Dublin". The Irish Times.
  16. 1 2 "Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion". oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 26 May 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 May 2026.