The Merits of Designating Terrorgram?
Last month, Australia imposed financial sanctions on Terrorgram, defining the entity as “an online network that promotes white supremacy and racially motivated violence.” This move follows similar actions by the United Kingdom and the United States. Given Canada’s recent wave of designating new entities (specifically targeting criminal organizations), should we follow suit and list Terrorgram as a terrorist entity?
What is Terrorgram?
As outlined in Insight Monitor’s coverage of Ecofascism, Terrorgram functions as a writing collective composed of anonymous but influential Nazi accelerationist figures and social media personalities. It has become a major producer of accelerationist propaganda, and draws inspiration from an evolving strain of neo-Nazism originating from Iron March. The network deifies figures such as Brenton Tarrant, Anders Breivik, and Ted Kaczynski, along with other mass murderers they refer to as “saints.”
A defining behavior of the network is its reliance on Telegram as a hub for announcing new extremist groups, recruiting members, and disseminating propaganda. While Telegram serves as its core platform, Terrorgram-affiliated groups also expanded to mainstream social media to reinforce their messaging and amplify allied organizations – however, the presence on these other platforms often does not last as long due to content moderation. Tech Against Terrorism identified 21 entities operating as part of Terrorgram between June 2021 and February 2022, noting that these groups were distinct but appeared to be strategically allied.
Over the past year, the collective has faced significant setbacks as antifascist activists identified individuals in Canada and the United States as part of the network. This has led to the arrest of multiple members on terrorism charges, disrupting Terrorgram’s ability to operate freely.