Extremist groups finding refuge on Telegram once more, with the platform serving as a hub for far-right activities
In the northern Italian town of Gallarate, approximately 400 far-right activists from various European countries gathered for the Remigration Summit in May. The event, organized by Deport Them Now and other groups, was linked to a Europe-wide network of far-right extremists with a focus on mass deportation.
The violence that ensued resulted in 14 arrests, but concerns have been raised about the lack of attention paid by authorities and media to extremist groups online. These groups continue to pose a threat beyond social media platforms, as highlighted by Madrigal, a researcher at the Centre for the Analysis of the Radical Right.
Telegram, a popular messaging app, has been identified as a favoured platform for these extremist groups. Its comparatively lax moderation policies make it a preferred environment for far-right militants and conspiratorial networks to organize, share disinformation, and coordinate actions with minimal interference.
Analysts observing recent events in Europe note that far-right groups involved in anti-immigrant riots in Spain used Telegram channels as a "living room" for organizing and sharing hate speech, which escalated into real-world violence. Spanish journalists and web analysts emphasize that Telegram’s resistance to shutting down problematic far-right channels allows such content to circulate unchecked, unlike on platforms with stricter moderation policies.
The problem is not limited to Spain. UK data shows a dramatic increase in anti-Muslim and anti-migrant hate speech on far-right Telegram channels following specific violent incidents, with hate mentions rising by over 200%. This spread of extremist content on Telegram feeds broader patterns of extremist threats and violence that several European democracies are increasingly facing.
Telegram's minimal moderation contrasts with efforts in the EU where proposals for mandatory scanning of private messages on encrypted platforms (including Telegram) are gaining support to counter illegal and harmful content. However, Telegram has historically pushed back against such regulatory pressures, reinforcing its position as a haven for far-right extremist organization and hate speech dissemination.
The concept of remigration, or mass deportation, is rooted in the belief of a "white genocide" taking place in the west. This ideology, popularised by the widely-debunked book The Great Replacement by French author Renaud Camus, suggests that white people are being "replaced" by non-whites.
The Remigration Summit was a gathering for discussion about the alleged destruction of Europe by non-European immigrants and the subsequent need for mass deportation. Deport Them Now, a network that calls for the mass deportation of immigrants from western countries, was a key player in these discussions.
Shortly before the Torre Pacheco riots in Spain, Spain's far-right party Vox called for the expulsion of millions of immigrants from the country. In response, messages appeared on Deport Them Now's Telegram channels asking supporters to form patrols and chase down the perpetrators of a physical attack on a 68-year-old man in Murcia, Spain.
A report by the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia found that the amount of hate speech on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok was between 2,000 and 5,000 messages a day until 11 July, when the number rose to almost 7,000. On 12 July, it spiked to more than 33,000, according to the report, which doesn't include messages on Telegram.
An alleged far-right ringleader was arrested and detained in southern Spain following three nights of anti-immigrant violence. The incident underscores the threat posed by far-right extremist groups like Deport Them Now, which prefer to use Telegram because of its comparatively lax moderation and history of pushing back against calls from authorities to shut down problematic channels.
In summary, the lack of stringent content moderation on Telegram allows far-right extremists to organize, spread hate speech, and incite violence EU-wide. Far-right groups exploit Telegram’s “living room” nature for coordination and radicalization, contributing directly to offline extremist violence. The platform resists authoritative content takedowns, creating challenges for European law enforcement and regulators. This dynamic fosters an environment where far-right extremism and hate speech proliferate, threatening social cohesion and democratic stability in Europe.
- Concerns about the lack of attention paid by authorities and media to extremist groups online have been raised, as these groups continue to use social media platforms, such as Telegram, to organize, share disinformation, and coordinate actions.
- Analysts note that far-right groups involved in anti-immigrant riots in Spain have used Telegram channels as a platform for organizing and sharing hate speech, which escalated into real-world violence.
- The Remigration Summit, which focused on the alleged destruction of Europe by non-European immigrants and the need for mass deportation, was organized by Deport Them Now, a network that uses Telegram channels to disseminate hate speech and incite violence.
