Inside the Telegram Groups Doxing Women for Their Facebook Posts
1 min read
Summary
Non-consensual intimate images of women are being shared on a network of male-dominated Telegram groups as “revenge” for exposing misogyny.
The groups were first highlighted in late January by members of the 3 million-strong Facebook group Are We Dating the Same Guy?
Are We Dating the Same Guy? is a forum for women to warn about predatory men, but critics say it has enabled unverified accusations to spiral.
Men have filed several defamation lawsuits in recent years against members, administrators and even Meta, Facebook’s parent company.
Telegram’s stated focus on privacy enables illicit activities such as harassment and the sharing of “revenge porn”, in which intimate images are posted without the subject’s consent for the purpose of revenge.
Telegram says it has removed the content and that it takes its responsibilities under the EU’s Digital Services Act seriously.
Social media allows hate-driven engagement to fuel the growth of such groups, using tactics such as viral trends and suggested content to recruit new members.
Such tactics are difficult to regulate, and the decentralised nature of such groups makes it hard to pinpoint jurisdiction or responsibility.
