For hate groups, it's a lucrative era on the internet

Resurgent hate and extremist groups emboldened by tech companies’ relaxed moderation efforts are raking in cash across the internet, according to reports from research groups and experts

Resurgent hate and extremist groups emboldened by tech companies’ relaxed moderation efforts are raking in cash across the internet, according to reports from research groups and experts.

A July report from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) found “hate not only spreading across the internet but becoming more profitable.” FCAS, a nonprofit organization started by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, said monetization efforts that once existed on the edges of the internet could now be found in more mainstream spaces, including cryptocurrencies, crowdfunding, livestreaming and merchandising.

“These operations are no longer confined to fringe corners of the internet,” FCAS said in the report. “Now, the pipeline of monetized hate runs directly through mainstream platforms — reaching wider audiences and creating financial incentives for others to join in.”

Those efforts have proved lucrative even on platforms that have policies against hate speech.

A June report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit group that studies online extremism, found that even after YouTube had banned Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist, many videos of him remained active on the platform with ads, with 100 of the most viewed clips having racked up almost 54 million views.