Telegram Is A Haven For White Supremacists, Investigation Finds

Telegram has become “a global sewer” of illegal and extremist activities, including white supremacy, criminal networks, and terrorism, according to a four-month investigation by The New York Times.

White Supremacist Activity Thrives on Telegram

The Times analyzed more than 3.2 million Telegram messages from over 16,000 channels, uncovering 1,500 channels run by white supremacists.

These channels have nearly one million members worldwide and openly coordinate racist activities, including inciting violence, promoting hate speech, and organizing protests.

Telegram is “the most popular place for ill-intentioned, violent actors to congregate,” Rebecca Weiner, deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism at the NYPD, told The Times.

The “White Lives Matter” nationalist group, with nearly 50 chapters worldwide, is closely tied to the Telegram platform. Telegram’s structure allows such groups to organize, using public channels to spread messages and private groups to plan illegal activities.

As the US elections approach, security experts warn that Telegram may be used to organize violent actions, with some right-wing activists already claiming voter fraud on public channels.

Legal Challenges and Telegram Founder’s Arrest

Despite its role in enabling harmful activities, Telegram has done little to curb extremist content. Operating like a stateless entity, Telegram often ignores law enforcement requests but the EU is considering stricter regulations under the Digital Services Act.

Where major governing bodies have failed, major tech companies like Apple and Google have stepped in, pushing Telegram to remove harmful material or risk being banned from their app stores.

Telegram founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was recently arrested in France for failing to cooperate with authorities on criminal matters, including child exploitation and drug trafficking.

He later released a statement blaming “growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.”

“That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard,” he continued. “We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon.”