A recent report by VICE claims that ISIS is working on a blockchain app to facilitate their communications. This comes after the terror organization was banned from the Telegram messaging app. ISIS had found a safe haven in Telegram and they have been using the app for years to spread propaganda.
The App
The app, which is called Because Communication Matters (BCM), is currently in development and testing has already begun. Once they finish development, ISIS plans to use it to facilitate all their communications. It will allow them to send videos and other propaganda material to further their cause. Besides that, it will allow them to send crypto to each other without being detected/
According to one expert, the anonymity, encryption, and the ability to accommodate huge chat sizes pose a real threat to the world. It will allow the terror group to spread their messaging more effectively across the world while remaining anonymous.
A List of Possible Contenders
BCM is not the only app being tried out by the terror outfit. They are also trying Riot, Hoop, RocketChat, and Tam Tam. The BCM app is a strong contender due to its strict encryption, which makes it impossible for any third party to decipher the messages being sent. According to one ex-CIA analyst, if this app delivers what it promises, it would be truly terrifying.
Telegram used to be the go-to app for the organization. Not only did they use it to spread propaganda but they also used it to raise funds for their criminal activities such as buying arms. However, that changed in August after MEMRI sent congressional letters to the Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. Soon after, Telegram began efforts to take down all accounts and content associated with ISIS.
Update December 18th, 2019
An earlier version of this article may have implied that Telegram had not been taking action before congressional letters, written with the help of MEMRI, were sent to their CEO. Since then, Remi Vaughn has gotten in touch with Visionary Financial to clarify that Telegram has never tolerated ISIS content on their platform.
Remi Vaughn informed us, via an email, that the platform has been working to moderate content on Telegram based on a combination of “human moderation, detection algorithms, and human reports.” In his email, he clarified that while Telegram was a supporter of free speech, it did not support violence.
He also provided us with the link to a telegram channel, where the company regularly makes updates about the bots and groups, which publish ISIS-related content and the content it has taken down.
What This Could Mean for Crypto
This development does not augur well for crypto and the blockchain. Many lawmakers around the world are already hesitant about crypto. This development will no doubt cause them to be even more hostile towards the technology behind cryptocurrencies.
However, it is worth noting there is a lot that can be done to stem the use of crypto and the blockchain sector by criminals. One way to do this is by funding efforts to fight illegal activity in the crypto sector. By preventing research into crypto or stifling the crypto industry, it means that criminals will always have an upper hand when it comes to the sector. There is also the need to create legislation and policies that make it harder for criminals to access the sector while also rewarding those who utilize the technology for the right purpose.
This development should not be used as an excuse to stifle the crypto and blockchain sector. Instead, it should be used to encourage more research into the sector to ensure that the good guys will always have an upper hand. For instance, it is also worth noting that before crypto, all illegal activities in the financial sector involved fiat currencies.
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