A/HRC/62/56
47.
Digital platforms now function not only as channels for dissemination but also as
integrated ecosystems for recruitment, training and coordination. The intensifying migration
of neo-Nazi and other extremist content into algorithmically driven digital platforms has
enabled the wide dissemination of extremist material, significantly expanding recruitment
potential beyond traditional far-right ecosystems.18 Encrypted messaging services, in
particular, have enabled extremist groups to operate with increased secrecy, complicating
monitoring and accountability efforts. In this regard, the so-called “NazTok” ecosystem has
been identified as an organized network operating on the platform TikTok, reportedly
generating millions of views. Research indicates that pro-Nazi content on such platforms has
reached tens of millions of views, including material promoting Holocaust denial, the
glorification of Nazi leadership and ideology, and the endorsement or replication of racially
motivated acts of mass violence.19
Disinformation and generative artificial intelligence
48.
Of particular concern to the Special Rapporteur is the growing use of generative
artificial intelligence (AI) by extremist actors. The Special Rapporteur notes research
indicating the deployment of AI tools to produce propaganda at scale, including synthetic
audio, manipulated images and disinformation materials. These technologies enable the rapid
and sophisticated production of extremist content, often exceeding the capacity of existing
moderation systems.20 GNET's January 2025 analysis of 38 white supremacist Telegram
channels found documented use of AI across multiple propaganda categories: AI restoration
and translation of Hitler speeches, AI-generated songs promoting white supremacist beliefs,
and AI-generated image manipulation designed to produce disinformation at a quality level
substantially exceeding previous hand-crafted material.
49.
Such AI-generated content has begun to appear in offline contexts, including public
advertising spaces, demonstrating the convergence between digital and physical propaganda
environments. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that the scale and speed of AI-driven
content production may significantly outpace current regulatory and enforcement
frameworks.
50.
The convergence of hate speech, disinformation and violent radicalization, further
worsened by generative AI, represents a critical human rights concern. The construction of
perceived “internal enemies,” including migrants, religious minorities and other vulnerable
groups, is frequently embedded within broader narratives aimed at mobilizing hostility and
legitimizing violence. The Special Rapporteur underscores the risk that sustained exposure
to such online environments, including disinformation produced by generative AI,
particularly among youth, may facilitate pathways from ideological adherence to violent
action.
Coded language and symbolic communication
51.
The use of coded language and symbolic communication remains a defining feature
of contemporary extremist discourse. Numeric codes, visual symbols and indirect references
are widely employed to normalize extremist ideologies, facilitate recruitment, facilitate
identity formation and evade platform regulation. These tactics are increasingly integrated
into mainstream digital culture, including memes and short-form video content. Examples
include the use of numerical codes such as “88,” which is widely understood within extremist
18
19
20
A/C.3/73/L.53/Rev.1.
Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), “NazTok: An Organized Neo-Nazi TikTok Network Is Getting
Millions of Views,” Digital Dispatches, July 29, 2024, https://www.isdglobal.org/digitaldispatch/naztok-an-organized-neo-nazi-tiktok-network-is-getting-millions-of-views/.
Georgia Lala, “From Confusion to Extremism: How Deepfakes Facilitate Radicalisation”, Global
Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET), 11 February 2026. Available at https://gnetresearch.org/2026/02/11/from-confusion-to-extremism-how-deepfakes-facilitate-radicalisation. (gnetresearch.org).
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