Europol Flags 4,340 URLs for Removal in 'The Com' Crackdown
Europol and partners removed violent and abusive content tied to The Com, including 4,340 URLs flagged over several weeks, officials said.
- Europol and partner investigators flagged 4,340 "horrific" URLs for removal during recent Referral Action Days, part of the broader Project Compass operation targeting the online network known as The Com.
- The Com is a loose network of online groups promoting a nihilistic worldview, recruiting members via social media to participate in activities ranging from hacking and extortion to real-life violence.
- Flagged material included "violent videos and images depicting self-harm, suicide, child sexual abuse material , animal cruelty, and violent attacks," according to international investigators, plus so-called blood walls and cut-signs.
- Over the past two years, Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre has received "hundreds" of requests to investigate crimes linked to the network, which officials describe as a major global threat.
- "Social media algorithms expose young people to extremist content," Europol said, noting that victims are often blackmailed into remaining in groups with threats to share intimate images with family.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Europol shuts down thousands of websites linked to nihilist network
Europol has taken down around 4,340 websites containing violent and extremist material linked to the online network known as ‘The Com’, in a joint operation involving several EU member states, including Belgium. The EU’s law enforcement agency said the operation aims to dismantle the propaganda network and reduce the reach of its harmful online content....
Online nihilist networks targeted in international crackdown
European police targeted thousands of websites hosting "nihilistic" material this summer, part of an international crackdown on violent content by investigators from nine countries. The Com, a decentralized network of such sites, was the key target, according to a press release from Europol. — Read the rest The post Online nihilist networks targeted in international crackdown appeared first on Boing Boing.
The Register
Europol flags 4,340 'horrific' URLs linked to The Com
Europol and its partners' investigators flagged 4,340 “horrific” URLs for removal over several weeks in June and July as part of an ongoing crackdown on The Com (short for community), a loosely knit network of online groups whose young members participate in a range of illicit activities. These range from hacking, swatting, and digital extortion to real-life shootings, stabbings, and other physical violence. Europol’s recent Referral Action Days…
The European police service Europol, in cooperation with various member states including Belgium, has managed to take some 4,340 websites with “nihilistic, violent and extreme content” off the internet. The police hope to help dismantle “The Com” in this way, a dangerous and hidden online network that targets vulnerable young people through games and social media.
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