The collaborative investigation between FRONTLINE and ProPublica delves into a transnational online network known for inciting white supremacist terrorism on Telegram, called Terrorgram, which was led by the so-called Terrorgram Collective.
The project, “The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram,” is directed by award-winning journalists A.C. Thompson and James Bandler, along with filmmakers Thomas Jennings and Annie Wong. It extends the longstanding efforts of ProPublica and FRONTLINE in reporting on violent extremism and online radicalization.
According to Thompson, the investigation, which utilized a substantial collection of archived posts, reveals how Telegram and other minimally regulated platforms have become havens for ‘militant accelerationists,’ a group of neo-Nazis intent on using terrorism and violence to overthrow governments and build new white ethnostates. Thompson, who has examined violent extremism in the U.S. extensively, has broadened his scope globally through this project.
Bandler points out that individuals on Telegram attempted to incite others to commit profound acts of violence and instigate a race war. The Terrorgram narrative highlights the repercussions of unrestrained free speech, particularly when influencers are promoting violence or mass murder.
Telegram, in a statement, emphasized its ongoing efforts to monitor posts for harmful content and stated that “calls for violence from any group are not tolerated on our platform.”
The documentary “The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram” also investigates the arrest of approximately a dozen people allegedly linked to the Terrorgram Collective by authorities in various countries.
Sociologist Pete Simi, featured in the documentary, questions if these arrests signify the end of Terrorgram. He suggests that although this specific network might collapse, the ideology it promoted will likely persist and be propagated through different platforms, including Telegram.
Over a year in development, the 90-minute documentary is part of a larger multiplatform initiative, which also comprises a series of stories by ProPublica.
“The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram” is set to premiere on Tuesday, March 25 at 10 p.m. EDT/9 p.m. CDT on PBS stations, and it will be available for streaming on YouTube, the PBS App, and FRONTLINE’s website.
