Social media giant Telegram once more faces scrutiny, serving as a hub for far-right extremist groups
In the small town of Torre Pacheco, Spain, a series of anti-immigrant riots erupted, resulting in 14 arrests. The violence was orchestrated, in part, by the far-right extremist group Deport Them Now, which has gained notoriety across Europe for its calls to mass deportation.
The Deport Them Now network, a militant group advocating for the expulsion of immigrants from western countries, has found a fertile ground for communication and organisation on the messaging app Telegram. The platform, known for its comparatively lax moderation and history of resisting authority's requests to close problematic channels, has become a "living room" for members of the group.
During the riots in Torre Pacheco, private Telegram chats linked to Deport Them Now contained explicit calls to "hunt down" migrants and coordinate violent actions. Spanish-language Telegram channels connected to or referencing Deport Them Now rapidly spread extremist content, exploiting the incident to mobilize and incite further far-right violence.
The group used Telegram as a platform to organise and disseminate hate. The Remigration Summit, a gathering for far-right activists to discuss the destruction of Europe at the hands of non-European immigrants and the subsequent need for mass deportation, was organised by Deport Them Now and other groups on the platform.
The widely-debunked ideology of a "white genocide" taking place in the west underlies the concept of remigration, or mass deportation. This ideology suggests that white people are being "replaced" by non-whites and has shifted to encompass a more general anti-immigrant sentiment.
The violence in Torre Pacheco was not an isolated incident. About 400 far-right activists from various European countries attended the Remigration Summit, organised by Deport Them Now and other groups, in the northern Italian town of Gallarate in May.
Critics argue that Telegram fails to adequately moderate far-right extremist activity, allowing networks like Deport Them Now to disseminate hate unchecked and organise violent mobilisations. Despite Telegram's official stance that calls to violence violate its terms of service and that such content is removed when discovered, the platform's lax moderation policies have enabled extremist groups to thrive.
In response to the violence in Torre Pacheco, a court order for the arrest of the ringleader accused him of inciting hate, forming an illicit association, and illegally bearing arms. Experts and analysts warn that extremist groups, including Deport Them Now, will continue to exploit digital platforms to mobilise and incite violence unless action is taken to address the issue.
Journalist and cybersecurity expert Madrigal expressed concern about the lack of attention paid by authorities and media across Europe to extremist groups online, stating that it is dangerous. The rise of far-right extremism is a transnational issue that requires a coordinated response from governments and tech companies to prevent further incidents of violence.
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- Despite the escalating use of social media for organizing and disseminating hate, education and self-development platforms have failed to provide resources on how to counter far-right extremist ideologies online.
- The rise of far-right extremism on social media has led to a surge in general news articles discussing crime and justice incidents related to these groups, making entertainment content appear less engaging.
- Politicians have raised concerns about the influence of extremist networks on social media, advocating for stricter regulations and policies to ensure a balanced representation of viewpoints in politics and prevent incidents of violence related to far-right extremism.
