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The Accelerationists’ App: How Telegram Became the “Center of Gravity” for a New Breed of Domestic Terrorists

ProPublica
Summary
Nutrition label

66% Informative

Alexander Lightner , 26 , used his phone to send a flurry of ominous online posts.

Federal prosecutors allege he launched what federal prosecutors allege were threats on Telegram .

The sprawling, no-holds-barred platform that has become a hive for neo- Nazis who call themselves Accelerationists .

The platform has served as the online home of the Russian mercenary company Wagner Group .

ProPublica and FRONTLINE found that Telegram today is the main nexus of far-right Accelerationist crime.

Law enforcement agencies on both sides of the Atlantic have interrupted a series of criminal schemes.

In July , a Georgian man was arrested in Europe for allegedly soliciting people to carry out murders and bombings in U.S ..

Telegram is heavily favored by right-wing extremists, including QAnon followers, Proud Boys , militia members.

The company’s privacy policy puts strict parameters around cooperation with law enforcement.

Telegram stores “very limited data” on its users, a spokesperson says.

VR Score

60

Informative language

53

Neutral language

29

Article tone

semi-formal

Language

English

Language complexity

61

Offensive language

likely offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

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no affiliate links