Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Jacob Dirnhuber

Twitter and TikTok searches can direct to terrorism and extremist hate sites

Twitter and TikTok are directing people to a site that promotes terrorism and conspiracy theories.

Odysee – dubbed YouTube for extremists – has hosted 500 hours of talks from Islamist hate preachers.

Some have been accused of radicalising Ali Harbi Ali – who was jailed for life last month for stabbing Southend MP David Amess to death.

Internet giants profess a zero tolerance policy on extremists but simple searches can direct users to Odysee.

This has prompted concerns moderators at Twitter and TikTok failed to protect the public. Counterterrorism expert Professor Anthony Glees, from the University of Buckingham, said: “This is deeply disturbing.

"There is now a massive list of Islamist terrorists who have been radicalised on the internet.

“It is now crystal clear that either the social media algorithms don’t work, or more worryingly, aren’t set up to fully screen out this vile and highly ­dangerous material.”

Ali Harbi Ali who was jailed for life last month for stabbing MP David Amess to death (PA)
Southend MP Sir David Amess (PA)

Odysee was launched in 2020 by a US conspiracy theorist to provide free speech for all.

Beneficiaries include Anjem Choudary, an ex-solicitor turned terrorist who has called for the execution of the Pope.

And rants by US extremist Anwar Al-Awlaki, who died during a 2011 drone strike in Yemen, are still online. TikTok and Twitter both declined to comment.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.