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Coverage dated April 9, 2023

FBI documents associate internet slang like ‘based’ and ‘red pill’ with ‘extremism’

Headline from New York Post

Many of the terms mentioned in the FBI’s list of incel terminology are either widely used across the internet or innocuous in nature.

New York Post's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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Reports & sources

7 articles, oldest first.

  1. New York Post

    FBI documents associate internet slang like ‘based’ and ‘red pill’ with ‘extremism’ (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Many of the terms mentioned in the FBI’s list of incel terminology are either widely used across the internet or innocuous in nature.

  2. Legal Insurrection

    FBI Links Words Like ‘Based,’ ‘Red Pill,’ ‘Looksmaxxing’ With ‘Violent Extremism’ (opens Legal Insurrection)

    Published

    Legal Insurrection's feed description

    It's all very...sexual. The FBI targets "incels," people who are "involuntary celibate" and want to "commit violence in support of their beliefs that society unjustly denies them sexual or romantic attention, to which they believe they are entitled."

  3. The Washington Free Beacon

    Cringe: FBI Associates Internet Slang Popular Among Conservatives with Domestic Terrorism (opens The Washington Free Beacon)

    Published

    The Washington Free Beacon's feed description

    The FBI associates common online slang terms popular among conservatives, like "red pilled" and "based," with domestic terrorism, according to a bureau memo.

  4. BizPac Review

    FBI docs equate Internet slang like ‘based’ or ‘red pill’ with ‘racially, ethnically related violent extremism’ (opens BizPac Review)

    Published

    BizPac Review's feed description

    FBI documents that were obtained through a FOIA request red flag common Internet slang terms as being an indication of "violent extremism."

  5. The Daily Caller

    FBI Associates Slang Like ‘Based’ With ‘Extremism,’ Docs Show (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    An investigation launched by The Heritage Foundation found in early April that the FBI associated common social media language with "violent extremism."

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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