Right-wing extremist groups are active on social platforms, calling on supporters to "monitor" the election

On the eve of the 2024 presidential election in the United States, right-wing extremist groups called on supporters to serve as "election monitors" through social platforms such as Telegram, and even incited mobilization actions, claiming to "defend the election." According to an analysis by the New York Times, these extremist groups had widely spread false information after the 2020 election in an attempt to interfere with the election results. Today, these groups are once again active on social media, intending to influence the election process and increase voters' doubts and distrust of the electoral system.

The New York Times counted more than 1 million messages on 50 Telegram channels, many of which involved how to monitor polling stations and even called on supporters to prepare for "resistance to tyranny." A post on the Ohio "Proud Boys" channel wrote: "No more standing by, you either stand up to resist or willingly accept the shackles of oppression." These inflammatory remarks made the atmosphere on the eve of the election even more tense, attracting the attention of security experts.

Radicals regroup, panic speech escalates again

The Wall Street Journal reported that many well-known members of organizations such as the Proud Boys were convicted for participating in the 2020 Capitol riots. However, some members of the organization regrouped and incited radical actions on and after the election day through platforms such as Telegram. In Texas, a Proud Boys chapter accused the Democratic Party of pushing Harris to become president through "millions of fake votes" on social platforms, claiming that the election had been manipulated.

In North Carolina, the Proud Boys chapter publicly expressed support for Trump and thanked members for participating in the supervision of primary polls, calling it a "trial run for Election Day in November." In addition, the organization has also been active in providing "security guarantees" for Trump's rallies. A chapter in Phoenix even shared stock photos of weapons, indicating that they are stockpiling weapons for "major events" on Election Day. These actions not only pose a threat to the election process, but also cause widespread concern.

The threat of violence escalates, and the capital Washington deploys protective measures in advance

As the election approaches, security measures are also being upgraded across the United States. Washington, D.C., has installed large security fences a few days before Election Day to prevent possible violent protests. Experts say extreme rhetoric and incitement to violence are growing rapidly on social media, and the trend of far-right groups encouraging violence is similar to that after the 2020 election, when false statements ultimately led to the Capitol riots on January 6.

The latest report released by the Global Program on Fighting Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) shows that since October, the denial of the election has surged by 317%. These groups not only deny the results of the election, but also spread extreme rhetoric of "inevitable civil war" and "shooting illegal voters." The report warns that if these inflammatory rhetoric is not taken seriously, it may lead to increased violence after the election. There have been several violent incidents in the past few weeks, such as a man threatening Democratic supporters with a machete in Florida and another man shooting at a Democratic campaign office in Arizona, showing that the threats of extremists have begun to affect real life.

The extremist organization "True the Vote" is active again, boosting the spread of conspiracy theories

Right-wing groups not only incite election monitoring online, but also mobilize supporters in ground organizations. The Bridging Divide Initiative (BDI) of Princeton University recently released a report pointing out that the right-wing group "True the Vote" used false information in 2020 to claim that the Democratic Party used "mules" to transport boxes of illegal ballots in an attempt to overturn Trump's victory. This year, the organization once again used similar strategies to spread conspiracy theories and exaggerate the Democratic Party's remarks that the voting results were "manipulated" in the election. Such extreme accusations have sparked a lot of discussion on Telegram, providing supporters with a "legitimate reason" to fight "election fraud."

In order to prevent potential risks on Election Day, the US Election Commission is strengthening security measures at polling stations around the country, while calling on voters to remain rational and not listen to false statements on social media. Social platforms are also stepping up their review of false content, but in the face of the remarks of extreme organizations scattered across multiple channels and local chapters, supervision still faces great challenges.

From social platforms to real-life actions: How do extreme emotions trigger election violence?

The experience of 2020 has made it clearer that inflammatory remarks on social platforms may directly lead to real-life violence. Social media platforms, especially encrypted communication software such as Telegram, have become the main channels for extremists to publish inflammatory content. The GPAHE report pointed out that extremist groups use these platforms to organize actions, spread intimidating remarks, and gradually expand the participation of supporters through these social networks.

These remarks not only pose a threat to the safety of voters, but also exacerbate the divisive sentiment in American society. Experts warn that extreme remarks on the Internet calling for "resistance to tyranny" can easily ignite real-life violence. The Princeton University research team suggested that the United States needs to strengthen monitoring and response to conspiracy theories, especially through education and information disclosure to enhance public judgment. GPAHE called on the government and social platforms to strengthen cooperation to curb the incitement of extremist organizations.

How to maintain election security and social stability?

As the US election day approaches, how to ensure social security while keeping the election open and fair has become a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Experts pointed out that election officials, media and social platforms need to cooperate to jointly combat election-related false information and inflammatory remarks to prevent extreme groups from using online public opinion to disrupt the election.

In this election, the government will continue to pay attention to the activities of extremist groups and strengthen security measures in communities and public places to prevent potential violence. In the future, as social media continues to be the main platform for extreme speech, how to prevent violence while protecting freedom of speech will be a long-term challenge for law enforcement and public opinion management.

Through multi-party cooperation, the United States is expected to build a safer and more rational public opinion environment in future elections, so that the public can be confident in the election results and prevent extremist organizations from undermining the fairness of elections.