Riyadh: Etidal and Telegram Join Forces to Combat Extremist Content
In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, also known as Etidal, and Telegram worked together to eradicate 18 million pieces of extremist content and shut down 660 extremist channels during the second quarter of 2024.
According to a press release, the joint teams focused on monitoring and countering propaganda from three terrorist organizations: Daesh, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, and Al-Qaeda.
Daesh saw 14 million pieces of extremist content removed and 305 channels closed, while Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham had 3 million pieces of extremist content taken down and 281 channels shut down.
In addition, 231,354 pieces of extremist content were eliminated and 74 channels were closed that Al-Qaeda had been using to spread their extremist messages.
A significant milestone was reached on June 17, with over 2 million pieces of content removed during the Hajj season.
The second quarter of 2024 witnessed a 12.82 percent increase in propaganda activity by the three terrorist organizations compared to the previous quarter, a trend that aligns with previous years and the heightened activity during the Hajj season.
Since February 2022, the collaboration between Etidal and Telegram has resulted in the removal of 93 million pieces of extremist content and the closure of 14,193 extremist channels.
The variety of extremist propaganda content removed ranged from PDFs to video clips and audio recordings.