Article Identifies 10 Online Communities Linked to Harassment, Extremism and Violence
Updated
Updated · Listverse · Jul 1
Article Identifies 10 Online Communities Linked to Harassment, Extremism and Violence
2 articles · Updated · Listverse · Jul 1
Summary
The report spotlights 10 online communities that it says have been tied to harassment, extremist radicalization, sexual exploitation and real-world violence, from fringe forums to encrypted chat networks.
Several cases center on direct offline harm: South Korea’s Nth Room drew tens of thousands of users into coerced abuse, while 764 allegedly blackmailed teenagers into self-harm and sexual exploitation.
Other communities are presented as ideological or harassment hubs, including Stormfront, Kiwi Farms and the Order of Nine Angles, which researchers and security agencies have linked to hate crimes, stalking campaigns and violent extremism.
The list also includes groups such as the Zizians, Twin Flames Universe, Columbiners and the defunct WatchPeopleDie and Cannibal Cafe, arguing that even removed communities can inspire copycats or migrate elsewhere.
A common thread is resilience after takedowns: bans, lost hosting and platform removals have repeatedly failed to stop such networks from resurfacing on alternative infrastructure or encrypted services.