The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms to recruit fol
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Extremist Content Online: Neo-Nazi, ISIS Content Continues To Be Found On
Mainstream Platforms
(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the
methods used by extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms
to recruit followers and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers found
extremist content on YouTube and Meta platforms. On YouTube, several pieces of
white supremacist and antisemitic content were located, including content
promoting the active club movement. On Instagram, several pro-ISIS accounts
were located that posted a variety of propaganda from the terrorist group. And
on Facebook, several pro-ISIS accounts were found that similarly posted ISIS
propaganda.
In addition, an ISIS propaganda video was released on several websites on June
23. CEP reported three pages posted by the pro-ISIS group Al-Saqri Foundation
on JustPaste.It, two of them containing instructions for making explosives.
Finally, there was a blog posted on the WordPress platform promoting Holocaust
denial and antisemitism as well as glorifying Nazi Germany.
White Supremacist and Antisemitic Content Located on YouTube
CEP found several examples of white supremacist and antisemitic content on
YouTube last week. Researchers located an account that posted content
affiliated with theRise Above Movement
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club movement, including videos of content from white supremacist musicians and
an interview with the movement’s founder, Robert Rundo. The channel had been on
YouTube for four months and had almost 80,000 views for 15 videos when it was
located. CEP also located a video posted in November 2021 with over 750 views
that featured an interview with Rundo, where he provided advice for starting
small localized white supremacist crews.
Additional YouTube content included music modeled on a Serbian nationalist
song used by the Christchurch attacker in his video but modified to have lyrics
related to the U.S. that advocated violence against “communists and feminists.”
An account uploaded a video of the burning of an Australian Aboriginal flag and
videos featuring the Australian neo-NazisThomas Sewell
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andJaz Searby
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. The account was created on September 10, 2020, and had over 2,000 views. An
account that posted four videos advocating antisemitism and Holocaust denial
was created on May 17, 2022, and had 75 views on June 23. CEP located an
account that used an antisemitic name and a photo of the alleged perpetrator of
the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting as a display name. CEP also located a YouTube
account promoting a white supremacist podcast that glorified the man who
murdered nine African Americans at a Charleston church in June 2015.
CEP reported all seven videos or accounts to YouTube, however they were all
still accessible four days later.
Pro-ISIS Content Located on Instagram
CEP located several pro-ISIS accounts on Instagram from the week of June 19 to
June 25. In a sample of ten accounts, CEP researchers found content that
included clips from official and unofficial ISIS propaganda videos, ISIS
propaganda photos, Amaq news statements, and a video showing the pages of a
recently released ISIS al-Naba newspaper. CEP also located a full version of
the ISIS video “From the Land of al-Sham to the Lions of Africa,” released on
June 23, 2022. The ten accounts had an average of 341 followers, ranging
between 73 and 792 followers. Of the ten accounts reported, Instagram removed
two after they were reported by CEP. At least one account had a video removed
that displayed written ISIS propaganda, however the account remained online.
The ISIS propaganda video released on June 23 was also still accessible four
days after CEP reported it.
ISIS propaganda video “From the Land of the Levant to the Men of Africa,”
released on June 23 on Instagram, three hours after upload. The video was
modified with a double image in an effort to evade removal. The video was still
accessible four days later.
Pro-ISIS Content Located on Facebook
CEP located seven pro-ISIS accounts on Facebook. The seven accounts posted
statements supporting ISIS, links to ISIS propaganda on other websites,
statements from ISIS Amaq news and Amaq photos, and clips from ISIS propaganda
videos. Some posts had dozens of comments and hundreds of likes/reactions. CEP
reported the accounts to Facebook who removed two of the seven accounts.
ISIS Propaganda Video Released on Multiple Websites
On June 23, ISIS released a propaganda video via their self-proclaimed Sham
province in Syria titled
“From the Land of al-Sham to the Lions of Africa.” The video shows several
groups of small cells of fighters congratulating the successes of ISIS fighters
in the group’s African provinces.
The video was posted on Telegram, RocketChat, Hoop, and pro-ISIS websites. The
video was also located on Dropbox, MediaFire, Mail.Ru, Ok.Ru, Instagram, and
the Internet Archive. Dropbox, MediaFire, Mail.Ru, and Ok.Ru removed the video
after CEP reported. The Internet Archive made the video only available to
logged in users after CEP reported it.
Three Pro-ISIS Pages, Including Two Explosives Guides, Located on JustPaste.It
CEP researchers found three pages allegedly posted by the pro-ISIS group
Al-Saqri Foundation on JustPaste.It on June 22 and June 24. The Al-Saqri
Foundation publishes manuals on the manufacture and use of explosives, poisons,
and other weaponry. One page, posted on June 21, contained instructions for the
homemade production of an explosive compound and had over 35 views when it was
reported. Another page, located on June 24, also contained instructions for
creating explosives. The final page contained information on locating a
Telegram bot to find additional al-Saqri Foundation content. JustPaste.It
removed all three pages after CEP reported them.
Antisemitic and Pro-Holocaust Denial WordPress Blog Located
CEP located a blog on the WordPress platform that glorified Nazi Germany,
contained antisemitic content, and promoted Holocaust denial. Content included
texts and speeches by Nazi leaders, including Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels,
among others, essays and videos that praised Nazi Germany, pieces that promoted
antisemitism, including blaming Jews for the invention and spread of communism,
and content claiming that the Holocaust was part of a vast conspiracy by Jews
and the Allied nations. The blog was followed by 383 different email addresses
and contained links to content on other websites. The blog was still accessible
three days after CEP reported it to WordPress.
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