Violent extremists aim to use DLive for “recruitment and propaganda distribution,” analysts warned. Growing interest among a host of violent extremists in a lesser-known livestreaming app—one that’s largely geared toward younger gamers—prompted U.S. intelligence officials in January to circulate warnings to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies only days after the violent siege at the U.S. Capitol. Analysts charged with keeping tabs on violent extremist organizations warned of streaming service DLive’s rising popularity for “recruitment and propaganda distribution,” while pointing to the app’s use by pro-Trump insurrectionists who breached deep inside the Capitol building on Jan. 6. On Jan. 15, federal and state officials in San Diego and Central Florida issued a joint intelligence bulletin, saying a host of far-right personalities known for their violent rhetoric were likely drawn to DLive after being banned from mainstream sites such as YouTube. The ability to fundraise using DLive’s micropayment system was likely a key factor. (…) DLive users can purchase lemons—worth around one U.S. penny a pop—using a credit card, cryptocurrency, or Amazon Pay. Like a “tip,” the donation of lemons serves as a form of gratuity for content creators. They can be cashed out in exchange for real money upon request. Research into DLive transactions, which are public, has effectively proven the ability of known extremists to cultivate large followings on the platform, netting them potentially thousands of dollars per broadcast. This was possible due to lax enforcement of DLive’s own community guidelines (which prohibit hate speech), ostensibly arising from efforts to maintain its marketability as a “censorship-free” alternative to major streaming platforms.
via gizmodo: U.S. Intel Officials Eyed DLive as Recruitment Vehicle for Neo-Nazis Targeting Young Gamers