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THREAD: As antiquities looting and trafficking activity continues unabated across #Facebook, we are taking a look into how much content can be generated by a large group and how quickly it can grow
Group T is the $FB group with the most members of all 120+ groups ATHAR monitors
Group T is the $FB group with the most members of all 120+ groups ATHAR monitors
Group T is primarily used for crowdsourcing looting knowledge, but illicit antiquities trafficking occurs across the group as well. In many cases, the two activities go hand in hand.
The post below from April 3 features freshly-looted ceramics from a user in Idlib, Syria
The post below from April 3 features freshly-looted ceramics from a user in Idlib, Syria
Facebook antiquities Group T has been active for nearly 5 years, its anniversary is next month.
In that time this looting and trafficking group has grown rapidly in membership from across the globe, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa
In that time this looting and trafficking group has grown rapidly in membership from across the globe, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa
The looting/trafficking Facebook group's growth may be in part due to its utilization of cross-platforming
Group T's "About" section features a link to its @YouTube channel.
Group T's "About" section features a link to its @YouTube channel.
The YouTube channel that Facebook Group T links to is a channel for human rights issues and is full of a variety of MENA-focused political videos.
The broader topic may have helped with the Facebook looting/trafficking group's reach. The YouTube channel has over 10 million views
The broader topic may have helped with the Facebook looting/trafficking group's reach. The YouTube channel has over 10 million views
Facebook looting Group T also utilizes multiple features of the platform, which get more eyes on content related to illicit activity.
One of Group T's founders is a Facebook Page with nearly 150,000 followers.
One of Group T's founders is a Facebook Page with nearly 150,000 followers.
The Facebook Page that founded Group T (which by the way, also focuses on looting) has also been a founder of 3 additional looting groups.
The other groups are among the largest ATHAR monitors with 80k-211k members.
All of which helps admins game the algorithm --but for crime
The other groups are among the largest ATHAR monitors with 80k-211k members.
All of which helps admins game the algorithm --but for crime
Although a large Facebook Page is a founder, it cannot manage a group of this scale alone.
These groups and pages on Facebook are run by networks of traffickers, not companies with social media departments. Group T needs a small army of admins/moderators, 18 in total
These groups and pages on Facebook are run by networks of traffickers, not companies with social media departments. Group T needs a small army of admins/moderators, 18 in total
The reason Group T needs so many admins and moderators is because it gets a hundreds posts per day.
- 285 posts today (Apr 14)
- 5,300+ posts over the past 30 days
Group T is just one of over 120 Facebook groups for looting/trafficking antiquities in the MENA region
- 285 posts today (Apr 14)
- 5,300+ posts over the past 30 days
Group T is just one of over 120 Facebook groups for looting/trafficking antiquities in the MENA region
Perhaps most shocking is the group's rapid growth. It it will be the first of the looting/trafficking Facebook groups ATHAR Project monitors to reach 300,000 members.
This Facebook group is averaging 10,000 new members per month - that's roughly one new member every 5 minutes.
This Facebook group is averaging 10,000 new members per month - that's roughly one new member every 5 minutes.
