Propublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates power abuse. Sign up and receive the biggest story as soon as it’s published.
This story is part of a joint investigation from ProPublica and Frontline, and includes the upcoming documentary, “The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram.”
A new research collaboration from Frontline and Propublica explores a multinational online network of extremists accused of inciting white supremacist terrorism acts with telegrams on messaging platforms. They called themselves terrograms and their leadership terrogram groups.
The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram, praised by filmmakers Thomas Jennings and Annie Wong from an award-winning team led by reporters AC Thompson and James Bandler, continues the long-standing groundbreaking report on violent extremism and online radicalization from Propublica and Frontline.
“Based on a mountain of archived posts, our report shows that telegrams and other lightly regulated platforms have become the gatherings of “extremist accelerators.” It wants to use terrorism and violence to overthrow the government and create a new white ethnic group.
“These people on Telegram, a messaging and social media app, were trying to stir up other people to cause racial wars,” Bandler said. “What we saw through the Terrorgram story is that there is a consequence of free speech and influencers advocating violence and mass murder.”
In a statement, Telegram said it has always screened posts of problematic content, saying “seeking violence from any group is not tolerated on our platform.”
“Rise and Descend in Terrorgram,” part of a joint investigation from Frontline and Propublica, premieres on March 25th.
“The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram” explores how authorities from several countries will arrest dozens of people who are allegedly linked to the Terrorgram Collective.
“Are these arrests the end of the terrorogram? There may be a particular collapse of this particular network, but is that the end? Absolutely not,” sociologist Pete Schimi said in the documentary. “There are new terrograms that can be replaced by another name. We will continue to see this kind of extremism spread through different types of platforms, not just telegrams.”
For over a year, the 90-minute documentary is part of a multi-platform effort that also includes a series of Propublica stories.
“The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram” premieres on EDT/9pm CDT (Check Local List) on PBS Station on Tuesday, March 25th at 10pm and can be streamed on YouTube, PBS app and Frontline websites.
