Hamas Threatens Live Execution Broadcasts, Tech Firms Struggle to Curb Spread of Graphic Videos
In a chilling development, Hamas militants have issued a threat to livestream their executions of Israeli hostages over the internet. Recent history reveals the profound challenges tech companies face in preventing the dissemination of such horrific content.
The internet continues to host live-streamed murders that occurred in Buffalo and Christchurch, New Zealand, drawing millions of viewers long after the incidents took place. Tech companies’ efforts to curtail access to violent videos are thwarted by the inherently open nature of the internet, enabling swift dissemination and sharing of viral content. The strategies of perpetrators and propagandists have evolved, utilizing a network of online services to ensure the perpetuity of such harrowing videos.
A spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, conveyed their intention through an audio message shared on the group’s Telegram account. They vowed to execute hostages one by one in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on homes in Gaza, a densely populated coastal area under Hamas control with over 2 million Palestinian residents.
đź”´Hamas has threatened to kill hostages and broadcast the images if the Israeli army carries out airstrikes without warning the residents of the Gaza Strip it is targetinghttps://t.co/FhaFy89doN
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 10, 2023
While the spokesperson mentioned broadcasting these executions in “audio and video” formats, the location and timing remained unspecified. Evidence suggests that Hamas has already abducted more than 100 individuals, predominantly civilians, during their brutal assault on southern Israel, with some victims having already suffered a tragic fate, as seen in video footage reviewed by The Washington Post.
This threat recalls the videos disseminated nearly a decade ago by the Islamic State, which aimed to induce fear and garner attention by showing the beheadings of journalists, aid workers, and other captive civilians. However, the key difference lies in Hamas’ pledge to broadcast executions in real-time, generating fear and apprehension about the impending brutality.
Graham Brookie, Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, commented on Hamas’ strategy, stating, “Hamas’ entire strategy is to inflict as much damage as possible and drive as much attention to that damage as possible, in order to incite fear for the broader public.” This marks one of the first instances where such polished propaganda content is recorded in real-time.
Hamas has already employed Telegram, a largely unmoderated messaging platform with over 800 million global users, to disseminate gruesome videos of kidnappings and killings during their recent offensive.
Many of these videos exhibit a degree of sophistication, featuring title animations and action-movie-style soundtracks, implying a structured workflow for recording, editing, and publication. Several videos were edited and made available online within hours of the attacks commencing.
Josh Lipowsky, a Senior Research Analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, explained, “Hamas has been very well prepared for this and has created professional systems to get their message out.”
It is anticipated that Hamas may publish execution videos on Telegram, which could subsequently be reposted on mainstream platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), potentially garnering millions of views. However, Hamas may also employ a throwaway account to live-stream executions on a social media platform or other websites, akin to previous mass murderers. This method ensures the perpetuity of the clips across various video services.
Efforts to mitigate the spread of such content remain a challenging task. Despite calls for moderation, some platforms, including Telegram, tolerate violent content in the name of promoting unrestricted free expression. Furthermore, lesser-known sites specializing in extreme videos often ignore requests for removal.
Facebook and other mainstream social networks invest in internal content moderation systems and teams to identify and block violent content. Nevertheless, such measures do not proactively monitor live streams or shared videos, and individuals with malicious intent continue to find ways to bypass these rules.
The brutality displayed in Hamas’ videos stands out, surpassing videos from other conflict zones globally, partly due to the group’s premeditated planning and technological capabilities. In some footage, militants are seen wearing GoPro cameras to provide a visceral, first-person perspective.
Hamas’ recent warning about execution broadcasts suggests a more accelerated form of terror propaganda, aimed at demoralizing and psychologically impacting Israelis and the global Jewish community.
This alarming development underscores the complex challenge tech companies face in preventing the dissemination of graphic content on the internet, and the urgent need for continued vigilance in safeguarding online spaces from such disturbing material.