The blockchain-based video-streaming site, Odysee, has recently come under scrutiny due to allegations made by the Southern Poverty Law Commission. In their detailed report, the nonprofit organization claims that Odysee serves as a hub for “hate groups and extremists.”
Odysee: A Hub for Extremist Content?
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Digital Threat Report, released on Tuesday, argues that Odysee has become a platform where individuals can store and create video content that would not be allowed on more mainstream platforms. The report goes on to state that sites like Odysee act as a “dumping ground” for extremist and hateful content, allowing such behavior by providing money-making opportunities and valuable technical features.
“Odysee has become a haven for individuals to store and create video content that would not be allowed on more mainstream platforms.”
Southern Poverty Law Center
Odysee, which is built entirely on blockchain technology, is an offshoot of the now-defunct content-sharing site, LBRY. Users of Odysee can post videos containing potentially harmful or inflammatory material without the risk of losing access to the platform. LBRY founder, Jeremy Kaufman, once claimed that the company had “the most censorship-resistant system to ever exist for the purpose of publishing digital content.”
“The most censorship-resistant system to ever exist for the purpose of publishing digital content.”
Jeremy Kaufman
Odysee is considered an Alt-tech site, often associated with traditionally censored beliefs due to limited content moderation. Kaufman himself has political affiliations, having run for the U.S. Senate in 2022 as a member of the Libertarian party and being a member of the far-right Mises Caucus.
The Controversial Features of Odysee
A significant aspect of Odysee is its monetization system, which allows content creators to receive payments in the form of LBRY’s cryptocurrency, LBRY Credits. Users can also make subscriptions or provide “tips” to their favorite content creators. The Southern Poverty Law Center claims that these features, combined with the platform’s “free speech” ethos, attract individuals who have been banned from other platforms for hate speech and other harmful behavior.
“These features, combined with the company’s ‘free speech’ ethos, make Odysee a popular platform for those who have been removed from other sites for violating hate speech and other harmful behavior.”
Southern Poverty Law Center
Some notable controversial figures have found success on Odysee as well. For instance, Robert Warren “Azzmador” Ray, a fugitive wanted for his involvement in the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally in 2017, has received over $30,000 in tip-style donations on the platform. Additionally, the Nordic Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi group with chapters in Sweden, Finland, and Norway, has an English-language channel on Odysee, which the Southern Poverty Law Center claims is specifically designed for distributing propaganda.
“[The Nordic Resistance Movement’s] channel is designed for distributing propaganda.”
Southern Poverty Law Center
It’s worth noting that the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Digital Threat Report follows LBRY’s shutdown due to a lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The lawsuit revealed that LBRY had failed to register its LBRY Credits. Although the original penalty of $22 million was reduced to over $111,000, the fate of their controversial streaming subsidiary, Odysee, remains uncertain.
