The Australian far-right is using a diverse range of online tools to fundraise and solicit donations. In this ecosystem, the messaging app Telegram plays a significant role — providing an entry point into a broader content and financial network, and facilitating international connections.
In a recent report for ASPI, I examined a sample of nine Australian Telegram channels that share right-wing extremist (RWE) content and found they were connected to more than 20 different funding mechanisms, platforms and tools. This preliminary map included live-streaming platforms such as DLive and Entropy that allow ‘tipping’ and other support. Financial opportunities were promoted by the sale of merchandise and subscription platforms such as Patreon and SubscribeStar. Donation requests via Buy Me a Coffee and PayPal, or via various cryptocurrency wallets, were also posted in the channels for purposes ranging from legal fees to general support for content creation.
Far-Right Fundraising on Telegram – GNET (gnet-research.org)