Inside extremism

The case involves emerging technology companies and thousands of dollars – but also neo-Nazis, swastikas and hate speech.

How do you write a story about one without being a megaphone for the other?

These are the kinds of questions Paste BN journalists ask themselves every day as they cover the rise of extremist ideology in American life and write about what happens when those ideas turn into action.

👋 Nicole Fallert here, and welcome to Your Week, our newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers (that's you!).

This week, we talk with Paste BN reporters Will Carless, who covers extremism and emerging issues, and Jessica Guynn, who covers technology. Their worlds intersect every time the internet and social media align with extremist speech or politics. That could mean white supremacists fundraising via crypto and crowdfunding or online hate speech in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

Before we dive into their coverage, don't miss these stories made possible by your Paste BN subscription (and keep scrolling for more must-reads from our newsroom!):

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These reporters have basically seen it all

Will has been writing about extremist movements for years, which has involved plenty of up-close time with gun-toting hate groups or self-styled militias. A longtime tech expert, Jessica has covered the rise of Silicon Valley and how the internet – and the rise of internet extremism – has reshaped our world.

Much of their work also involves monitoring how those worlds have combined. Hate speech and political extremism thrive at the growing fringes of high-tech – it’s where ideas can be hatched, spread and turned into calls for action.

For the past several years, their combined reporting has surfaced this recurring theme: They’ll tell you it’s no surprise that extremists and hate groups take root on new tech platforms. What’s surprising is that the tech companies behind them are continually unprepared to deal with that reality. 

In their most recent story, they covered just how little crypto currency exchange companies seemed to know – or do – about Nazis using their platforms to raise and send money.

"They just didn't have a good answer," Will said. It’s the same scenario faced previously by crowdfunding platforms, video streaming sites, gaming sites and mainstream social media. 

Each time, the reporters walk a careful line, not simply repeating the hate speech they find but explaining what’s out there and what rules are being broken – if any. 

Sometimes these platforms fail to enforce their own rules against hate speech. But in emerging platforms like cryptocurrency, those rules may not even exist yet. 

"If a story that we do gets the ball rolling on something important like this," Will said, "then we've done our job."

Reporting about hate speech in an online world designed to keep everyone connected requires them to have a thick skin. 

Jessica wanted to remind readers that the power to speak up matters. The more these platforms receive reports of these groups from users like you, the more they will take action.

"We do have power, and when we speak out and say a policy is not OK," she said, "that's meaningful."

If you'd like to keep up with Paste BN's reporting on extremism, Will publishes a weekly roundup for readers (find the latest edition here). Though the content can be alarming, Will says, what’s worse would be to leave those ideas out in the world without anyone knowing – and taking responsibility for it.

Thank you

Jessica and Will's reporting is a reminder of the impact well-funded journalism can have on powerful organizations in our nation. We are grateful to you for supporting our journalism with your subscription. Our work wouldn't be possible without you. 

Best wishes, 

Nicole Fallert