Category: Fringe Groups and Movements

How Telegram Became a Playground for Criminals, Extremists and Terrorists

Drug dealers, scammers and white nationalists openly conduct business and spread toxic speech on the platform, according to a Times analysis of more than 3.2 million Telegram messages.
How Pavel Durov, Telegram’s Founder, Went From Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man

Pavel Durov’s anti-establishment streak helped him create one of the world’s biggest online platforms, which emphasizes free speech. It also put a target on his back.
Telegram’s Top Executive Pavel Durov Reportedly Detained in France

The founder of Telegram, an app with more than 900 million users, was taken into custody by authorities, French media reported.
Where Are the Trumpiest Ads? All Over Truth Social.

Donald J. Trump’s social network is increasingly relying on a niche of the ad market that caters to hard-core Trump fans and Christian conservatives for revenue.
The U.K. Riots Were Fomented Online. Will Social Media Companies Act?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called out social media groups for the misinformation on their platforms that sparked violent clashes this week. But holding them accountable is tough.
Far Right Spreads Baseless Claims About Biden’s Whereabouts

President Biden, who has been sidelined with Covid, is set to address the nation this week.
How Right Wing Commentators Are Pushing Raw Milk Misinformation

On sites like Infowars, Gab and Rumble, federal concerns about raw milk are seen as overreach, but there are serious health risks and no scientifically proven benefits.
Elon Musk’s Diplomacy: Woo Right-Wing World Leaders. Then Benefit.

Mr. Musk has built a constellation of like-minded heads of state — including Argentina’s Javier Milei and India’s Narendra Modi — to push his own politics and expand his business empire.
Why Are Movies so Bad at Making Civil War Look Scary?

The filmmaker has made it clear that “Civil War” is a warning. Instead, the ugliness of war comes across as comforting thrills.
Truth Social Has an Edge as Rival Right-Wing Apps Falter

Donald Trump’s social media platform has outdistanced similar conservative sites such as Parler and Gettr, even as it lags far behind X and others.
Jackson Hinkle Rides Rage Over Israel to Prominence

Jackson Hinkle’s incendiary commentary has generated over two million new followers on X since October — a surge that some researchers say is aided by inauthentic accounts.
From Russia, Elaborate Tales of Fake Journalists

As the Ukraine war grinds on, the Kremlin has created increasingly complex fabrications online to discredit Ukraine’s leader and undercut aid. Some have a Hollywood-style plot twist.