Pro-Trump accounts flourish on Telegram, app launches white supremacist crackdown

Telegram confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday that it has pulled down dozens of channels that we're inciting violence on its platform.
For representational purposes (File Photo | AP)
For representational purposes (File Photo | AP)

SAN FRANCISCO: Unable to push their agenda on mainstream social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook amid tightened platform policies, the white supremacist accounts are flourishing on Telegram and the encrypted messaging app is now busy blocking such channels.

Telegram confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday that it has pulled down dozens of channels that we're inciting violence on its platform.

"In the past 24 hours we have blocked dozens of public channels that published calls to violence for thousands of subscribers," a Telegram spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.

Telegram said it is "monitoring the current situation closely."

The company observed several accounts promoting white supremacy, Nazi iconography and other forms of far-right extremism.

"Many extremist channels began publicising backup accounts Tuesday, pointing subscribers to dozens of other groups where they could continue to gather," the report mentioned.

Several top social media platforms like Twitter and Snapchat have permanently blocked Trump, while Facebook has banned him till the inauguration day on January 20.

Google-owned YouTube has removed more videos from his account for violating the content policies.

The company has also issued a "strike" against his account, meaning he cannot upload new videos or livestream content for at least a week.

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