The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread propaganda and incite
violence. Last week, CEP researchers discovered revenue-collecting
advertisements on several neo-Nazi and antisemitic Telegram channels, including
a channel that supports Active Clubs and Patriot Front. Ads promoted
cryptocurrency and betting and included a link to a Qanon channel.
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Extremist Content Online: More Neo-Nazi And Antisemitic Channels Discovered
Using Advertisements On Telegram To Collect Revenue
(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the
methods used by extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread
propaganda and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers discovered
revenue-collecting advertisements on several neo-Nazi and antisemitic Telegram
channels, including a channel that supports Active Clubs and Patriot Front. Ads
promoted cryptocurrency and betting and included a link to a Qanon channel.
Additionally, on May 6, an Active Club chapter in Southern California
announced on its Telegram channel that it had expelled a Mid-Atlantic chapter
due to its leader's past cooperation with authorities.
Also, last week, CEP researchers located issue 35 of the pro-ISIS web magazine
Voice of Khorasan. The May 7 edition encouraged attacks in Europe, condemned
the Taliban for allegedly not implementing religious law, and continued to
provide tips on operations security.
Advertisements Found on More Neo-Nazi and Antisemitic Telegram Channels
CEP researchers continued to find neo-Nazi and antisemitic Telegram channels
with advertisements enabled the week of May 5 to May 11, one weekafter
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previously locating an ad on the main Telegram channel of the French white
supremacistActive Club
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chapter. CEP located advertisements on four channels: a prominent neo-Nazi
channel with over 22,000 followers that supports groups such as Active Clubs
and Patriot Front and has had at least one prior iteration of the channel
removed from the platform; a neo-Nazi channel with over 12,700 followers that
focuses on operations security; an extreme right antisemitic channel with over
91,800 subscribers; and an antisemitic white supremacist channel with over
31,600 followers. Advertisements were for Telegram channels that advertised
news, cryptocurrency, betting, and a QAnon channel.
On March 31, Telegram began an advertising program with administrators that
shares “50% of the revenue from ads displayed in their channels.” It is unclear
how much money administrators of the five channels with ads enabled have made
since CEP found them.
“Extremist groups and propagandists should not be able to collect ad revenue
on Telegram. The platform needs to take immediate action to prevent these
channels from raising funds,” said CEP researcher Joshua Fisher-Birch. “It is
completely unconscionable that Telegram accounts that seek to recruit for or
otherwise promote or assist white supremacist movements have been able to
monetize their channels. It is worth noting that the five channels CEP has
located do not hide their affiliations, leading to questions about whether
Telegram has any moderation efforts in relation to ad features.”
An advertisement for a Qanon channel on a prominent neo-Nazi Telegram channel
with over 22,000 subscribers. Please note that the neo-Nazi channel has
previously denounced Qanon. The ad was likely either not chosen or was accepted
due to financial opportunity rather than ideology. Screenshot taken on May 9.
Active Club Movement Banishes East Coast Chapter
On May 6, an Active Club chapter in Southern California, via their Telegram
channel, banished a chapter of the movement from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
Delaware, stating that the latter group was led by an individual who testified
against a fellow white supremacist and at one point had been an anti-fascist
activist. The post stated that “Working with the system is one of the
unforgivable crimes against our efforts” and that the Mid-Atlantic region
chapter would no longer be recognized as part of the movement, stating that
group members should join a different Pennsylvania club. The main Active Club
Telegram channel shared the message.
The Mid-Atlantic Active Club chapter stated on their Telegram channel that the
leader in question was no longer a member and that they were closely linked to
local White Lives Matter (WLM) activity. On May 8, the main WLM Telegram
channel, which has over 20,000 followers, also announced that they had banished
the individual in question.
Voice of Khorasan Issue 35 Released
On May 7, the pro-ISIS al-Azaim Media propaganda group released issue 35 of
the English language web magazine Voice of Khorasan. The web magazine included
a wallet for sending the privacy cryptocurrency Monero and posted an image
encouraging terrorist attacks on soccer stadiums in the German cities of
Berlin, Munich, and Dortmund.
The first article condemned the Taliban for not implementing religious law,
scrutinizing punishments that the author described as human-made and not
religiously mandated. Other articles described the confrontation between Israel
and Iran as a fight between siblings, condemned the Syrian group Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham (HTS), and encouraged abandoning comfort. Issue 35 also contained the
third part in a series on operations security, providing tips for traveling and
encouraging total obedience to ISIS leaders and ISIS-endorsed individuals.
Infographics in the web magazine condemned countries that have opened
diplomatic or economic relations with the Taliban, specifically criticized the
Taliban for their connection to China despite the latter’s persecution of
Uyghur Muslims, and called for readers to fight.
CEP reported four uploads of the web magazine to the Internet Archive, which
quickly removed them.
The cover of Voice of Khorasan issue 35.
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