Terrorist groups use NFTs to spread extremist messages, report findings
A report from The Wall Street Journal have discovered the existence of NFTs sympathetic to the extremist group the Islamic State.
It is the first known case of an NFT being created and marketed by someone who actively supports the organization and represents a wider shift in the way terrorist groups operate online.
according to The Wall Street Journal, the name of the NFT was “IS-NEWS #01”, and it contained the symbolism of the Islamic State. Former US intelligence officials who spoke with The Wall Street Journalsaid the token served as a test of sorts, to gauge what potential outreach might look like.
Permanent Footprint – Measuring the effectiveness of NFTs for terrorist messaging is difficult, but the nature of digital assets on the blockchain presents a challenge for law enforcement agencies seeking to censor such content from the internet.
While individual marketplaces may remove NFTs, data points remain on the blockchain that serve as proof that the token exists. As WSJ notes, a platform called the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), is capable of “storing and retrieving data across a number of Internet nodes”, meaning that extremist NFTs are still accessible using this system.
In addition to OpenSea, NFT was also briefly available on Rarible, another NFT marketplace, before it was removed. NFTs can theoretically be used to raise money or launder money through a marketplace. Extremists can coordinate a sales round before moderators have time to respond. Since these transactions will take place on the blockchain, it will be more difficult to trace their origin than using traditional financial channels.
The creator of IS-NEWS #01 was discovered by Raphael Gluck, an intelligence analyst who founded Jihadoscope (a research firm that monitors jihadist activity), using publicly available information across IS social media accounts to trace the source. He also revealed two other NFTs with similar messages, stating that the sudden appearance of Islamic State NFTs “[are] very much an experiment… to find ways to make content indestructible.”
Unexplored Area – Although the creator’s account was immediately deleted by OpenSea, it remains to be seen how major marketplaces respond to a more concerted effort to spread extremist views going forward.
The crypto world has long been a hub for illegal activity, due to the anonymity of the blockchain and the ability for users to transfer money without having to be in the same geographic location.
