A new study has found that the far-right has extended their reach through messaging app Telegram.
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue studied the far-right and found that they were using conspiracy theories to recruit people.
It found that most of the most viewed posts from far-right groups contained misinformation.
The study found that much of the misinformation spread by far-right groups was underpinned by white supremacist ideologies.
The leader of the study, Ciaran O'Connor of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, writes that COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for radicalization. "It allows conspiracy theorists to create narratives that are simple, but powerful."
December 17, 2021.
A Telegram channel has a picture ofJews lying. The people behind the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were Jewish.
"COVID-19 has created fertile ground for recruitment because so many people around the world feel uncertain," Cynthia Miller-Idriss, director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University, told the Associated Press.
"These racist conspiracy theories give people a sense of control, a sense of power over events that make them feel powerless."
There is a conspiracy theory that says there are worms on facemasks. The message had over 147,000 views when it was saved.
A sample of 239 Telegram channels that have previously used the platform to post and promote content supporting right-wing extremists, individuals, conspiracies, or political and social belief systems was monitored by the ISD.
Between January 2020 and June 2021, there were 167 channels that discussed COVID-19, including 133 white supremacist channels that caused anger and fear around restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The study found that one Telegram channel saw a tenfold increase in subscribers after it started spreading conspiracy theories.
O'Connor said that the guardrails on other platforms don't exist on Telegram. He told the Associated Press that it is an attractive place for extremists.
Telegram welcomed the peaceful expression of ideas, including those that it does not agree with. In order to remove public calls for violence, activity and user reports are monitored.
