Pro-ISIS Content Being Visually Altered To Avoid Detection And Removal





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Extremist Content Online: Facebook Edition

Pro-ISIS Content Being Visually Altered To Avoid Detection And Removal



(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the
methods used by extremists to exploit Meta-owned Facebook to spread propaganda,
recruit followers, and incite violence in order to hold the popular social
media platform accountable for its failure to prevent the dissemination of
extremist and terrorist content.



This week, CEP identified 10 Facebook profiles that posted clips and
full-length ISIS propaganda videos as well as pro-ISIS video, audio, pictures,
and text, among other content. Several of the accounts used a profile photo of
Abu Osama al-Faransi, a figure known for his ISIS recruitment efforts. CEP also
located a propaganda video posted nearly a month ago that was specifically
altered to avoid removal from the platform by erasing logos and blurring
footage and has garnered hundreds of views. The video was uploaded over a month
after it was originally released. It is unclear why Facebook did not detect the
video upon upload using robust hashing, which can account for minor edits in
footage.



The extremist and terrorist content found by CEP researchers on Facebook are
clear violations of the platform’s terms of service, yet it often fails to be
removed. CEP encourages Facebook to takeconcrete action
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regarding the misuse of its site, including by providing Meta’s Oversight
Board with access to any and all information related to its inquiry; bringing
on external experts with core computer science skills, such as U.C. Berkeley
professor and CEP Senior AdvisorDr. Hany Farid
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and integrating Oversight Board members onto its corporate board. Meta is
responsible for the extremist content on its platforms, and it must begin to
act as such.



Pro-ISIS Content Located on Facebook



CEP researchers located 10 pro-ISIS
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content sample on August 24. The profiles posted a variety of pro-ISIS content,
including a full-length ISIS video modified to evade content detection, clips
from ISIS propaganda videos, unofficial pro-ISIS videos, audio from the
pro-ISIS-K media group al-Azaim Foundation, Amaq propaganda photos and news
posts, pages from al-Naba newsletter, pro-ISIS images and text, and links to
ISIS content on other websites.



Two of the Facebook accounts, one with 910 friends and the other with 130
followers, used a photo of the French ISIS fighter Abu Osama al-Faransi as
their profile photo. Abu Osama appeared in the notable November 2014 ISISvideo
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“What Are You Waiting For?” where he called for French Muslims to travel to
join ISIS in Syria, and another speaker called for attacks in France.



ISIS video “A Book That Guides And A Sword That Gives Victory,” on Facebook on
August 24, 29 days after it was uploaded. The video was modified by the
uploader to prevent it from being detected and removed. Logos on the top right
of the video were removed and parts of the video were blurred.



The profiles had between six and 1,100 friends or followers, with an average
of 460. Two accounts did not have their number of friends or followers listed.



On July 27, one of the accounts posted a propaganda video, “A Book That Guides
And A Sword That Gives Victory,” released on June 14, 2022. Over the next 29
days, the video had amassed 422 views and 55 likes/reactions. The uploader
modified the video to prevent it from being detected and removed, logos on the
top right of the video were removed, and parts of the video were blurred.



CEP reported the 10 accounts to Facebook on August 24. Approximately 36 hours
later, all 10 accounts were still online.



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