Conspiracy theories and esotericism: What’s happening on Telegram after Corona

This network still exists, according to a report from the Federal Office for Sect Issues. Shared content is often directed against minorities, established media and political institutions. This increases the risk potential for individual groups, said study author Philipp Pflegerl.

287 Telegram channels examined

From January 2020 to September 2023, the federal agency examined 287 public Telegram channels from Austria that can be attributed to the Corona protest movement. This heterogeneous but strongly connected network emerged parallel to the demonstrations on the streets, study author Felix Lippe explained to journalists. While there were around 40 channels in this network in March 2020, there were almost 300 in September 2023.

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In the Corona protest movement, not only channels that were primarily assigned to opponents of corona measures were active, but also those from the areas of right-wing extremism, “alternative media”, esotericism and spirituality, party politics and conspiracy milieus. Contributions from “alternative media” such as “Report24”, “Info-Direkt” or “Auf1”, which was the channel examined with the highest reach, currently had almost 270,000 subscribers, were often shared. But right-wing extremist channels, such as those of former Identitarian leader Martin Sellner, or channels of “influencers” from the time of the Corona demos such as Martin Rutter also had an influence. Political players such as the anti-vaccination party MFG and the FPÖ, which is critical of the measures, were also represented in the network.

Conspiracy theories and scaremongering

Crises are often explained on the network with conspiracy theories and people are frightened. There is, for example, the idea that a global elite wants to harm humanity, perhaps even abolish or enslave it, explained Pflegerl. The story goes that the media and politics are in cahoots with her. Successive crises such as the pandemic or climate change would be created by this elite to implement totalitarian measures. Conspiracy theory and extremist content would now reach many more people, said Federal Agency Managing Director Ulrike Schiesser – such as people from the esoteric sector who only came across these milieus through channels critical of Corona measures.

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The number of views on the channels has now decreased again, explained Lippe. These peaked at around nine million per day in January 2022 and fell to four million in April 2023. In March 2020 – at the beginning of the pandemic – they were still at 100,000. The topics spread in the channels have become more diverse. In addition to Corona, there are posts about the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine – usually with a Russia-friendly attitude. Climate change, asylum and migration and LGBTIQ people are also discussed. In general, the posters in the channels are often directed against minorities, but also mass media, politicians and political institutions and delegitimize them.

“Alternative media” benefit

“Alternative media have particularly benefited,” said Lippe. They can largely maintain their range. Meanwhile, the movement is struggling to remain relevant. If there is an occasion, the network can be used more intensively again at any time, explained Schiesser.

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The research project, the first results of which were published in the report today, is supported by the Federal Chancellery. As part of the project, an online monitoring system for developments in the area of ​​conspiracy theories in the digital space will also be set up. Constant monitoring of these discourses would be important, said Schiesser. She also recommends preventive measures in the area of ​​media literacy. However, this should not only take place in schools, as there are often people aged 40 and over in the Telegram channels.

No systematic deletions

Social networks themselves could respond with strategies such as “deplatforming”, the exclusion of certain people from social networks. Ultimately, right-wing extremists and opponents of Corona measures ended up on Telegram primarily because they were blocked on other social media, explained Lippe and Schiesser. On Telegram, content is not systematically deleted and channels are not systematically blocked.