UvA PhD student: Dark platforms, such as Telegram, source of crime
Digital platforms where no rules apply, such as Telegram and 4Chan, for example, are a source for crime and harmful content, sees PhD student Mónika Simon. She studied the impact of these so-called dark platforms on our society. “Freedom of expression is often abused here to justify illegal practices.”
Recently, Pavel Doerov, founder of communication platform Telegram, was arrested at Paris airport. French authorities believe that the platform does too little to deter crime and moderate harmful information. This is also the opinion of Mónika Simon, who researched so-called dark platforms like Telegram for her PhD. “The lack of moderation, i.e. someone keeping an eye on whether the rules are being followed, is one of the main characteristics of this type of platform.”
Dark platforms
Simon examined how certain messaging from dark platforms like Telegram, but also the blogging platform 4Chan or for example Donald Trump’s TruthSocial, are sources of crime and misinformation. “There is a growing trend towards the usage of these more private platforms for news consumptions,” says Simon. “As opposed to using news websites or opening up physical newspapers people nowadays turn to social media apps to get informed about socially and politically relevant information. While we have some knowledge about the role of mainstream media in this respect, little is known about their darker counterparts, so called dark platforms.” The platforms are a kind of free, uncontrolled online spaces where extremist ideologies are formed, and crime can run its course. For example, they are believed to be used to distribute content related to child abuse, human trafficking, drug trafficking and personal data of public figures such as politicians.
Dark platforms generally meet three criteria, Simon says. They welcome freedom of speech - even if it is extremist or harmful -, they welcome users banned by other major media outlets such as Instagram or X - so-called digital refugees - and the platforms are characterised by their own independent media infrastructure, such as a messaging service and video streaming channels.
“At first glance, dark platforms are very similar to more mainstream platforms,” Simon explains. “Take Telegram and WhatsApp, for example. Both are messaging services, but with just a different look. Yet there are a few key differences. For instance, WhatsApp takes measures against harmful content with an extremist or terrorist motive. For Telegram, this is not the case. And that is problematic. Massive group chats with sometimes up to two hundred thousand members allow harmful information to spread at lightning speed, without any control or intervention by authorities. That information not only stays on the fringes of the internet, but also reaches society, sometimes with dire consequences. Besides, the capacity of group chats allows for mass mobilization, which can be dangerous.”
Ukraine and Covid
Among other things, Simon investigated how the curfew riots during the corona pandemic, as well as the “coffee moments” on Museumplein, were initiated on dark platforms. “There was a ban on gathering at the time to minimise the spread of the virus. But in group chats, ideas to riot or congregate under the guise of an innocent coffee were concocted en masse. Eventually, mainstream media, politicians and public figures react to the symptoms of this visible in the public space: the gatherings, incitement and illegal protests. It seems to be something that arises spontaneously, but the ideas already have an online dimension.”
Not only during the Covid pandemic did dark platforms play a role, their influence was also observable regarding the coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For this, Simon studied mainstream media in the form of newspapers and news-related subreddits (Reddit is a popular blog post platform; every topic has a subreddit). Also the Twitter accounts of the G7 leaders, plus the Twitter account of Zelensky, who shared developments about the Russian invasion almost every day at the time. “I discovered that on the platform 4Chan, often the birthplace of (inappropriate) memes, news from these sources was regularly distorted and worded with toxic language. As soon as it was on 4Chan about the aid packages for Ukraine or the use of fighter planes, we saw that they were being talked about in harmful ways. For example, I found that the metaphor of dogs and animals were used to refer to Ukrainians on the platform. In that respect, 4Chan is a reactionary platform, unlike Telegram, where new ideas are formed.”
However the influence of harmful content is not to be underestimated, Smon says. Prolonged exposure to harmful language, misinformation and biased coverage of news and current events can significantly affect people’s perceptions on controversial issues. This could foster distrust in traditional media, as well as factual information. Think, for example, of fake news about vaccinations or climate change. “This problem is magnified when more mainstream platforms and influential figures pick up and amplify these damaging stories, giving them greater reach and legitimacy,” Simon says.
Communication tool
Although the platforms are controversial in the face of crime, they are still very important, Simon says. “Most users are not terrorists or criminals. They use the platforms to express a voice that does not get enough space in society. What we also see a lot is that oppressed populations reach for these kinds of platforms in times of war or instability. And this function continues to remain important.”
So banning the platform is not an option, according to Simon. “As soon as you ban a platform, you get another flood of digital exiles who go to seek refuge elsewhere. For Telegram, that’s almost 1 billion users. Therefore, they need to enter into discussions to introduce platform-level rules. On top of this, Telegram users think they are safe, while the encryption of their messages is not guaranteed and malicious actors can operate unhindered. This creates a double-edged sword: on the one hand, dark platforms offer freedom, but on the other, it does not adequately protect its users, and that is where they really fall short. So the arrest of Telegram’s founder should be seen as a kind of wake-up call for dark platforms but perhaps also more mainstream platforms such as X which has recently been a lot more lax about its moderation policies.”
Mónika Simon will receive her PhD on Friday 13 September at 11.00 on her thesis What happens on the fringes, stays on the fringes? Information flows in the contemporary media system. The defence will take place in the Aula of the Lutherse Kerk and is freely accessible.
