Telegram and Signal Havens for Right-Wing Extremists
Since the violent storming of Capitol Hill and subsequent ban of former U.S. President Donald Trump from Facebook and Twitter, the removal of Parler from Amazonβs servers, and the de-platforming of incendiary right-wing content, messaging services Telegram and Signal have seen a deluge of new users. In January alone, Telegram reported 90 million new accounts. Its founder, Pavel Durov, described this as βthe largest digital migration in human history.β Signal reportedly doubled its user base to 40 million people and became the most downloaded app in 70 countries. The two services rely on encryption to protect the privacy of user communication, which has made them popular with protesters seeking to conceal their identities against repressive governments in places like Belarus, Hong Kong, and Iran. But the same encryption technology has also made them a favored communication tool for criminals and terrorist groups, including al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Chinaβs stock markets are some of the largest in the world, with total market capitalization reaching RMB 79 trillion (US$12.2 trillion) in 2020. Chinaβs stock markets are seen as a crucial tool for driving economic growth, in particular for financing the countryβs rapidly growing high-tech sectors.Although traditionally closed off to overseas investors, Chinaβs financial markets have gradually been loosening restrictions over the past couple of decades. At the same time, reforms have sought to make it easier for Chinese companies to list on onshore stock exchanges, and new programs have been launched in attempts to lure some of Chinaβs most coveted overseas-listed companies back to the country.
