ISIS Takes To Crowdfunded Social Network After Twitter Bans Graphic Images - And Developers Admit They're Powerless To Stop Them

The creators of the decentralized social network Diaspora admitted that they're unable to stop ISIS militants from posting propaganda on the service due to the site's structure, The BBC reports.

Twitter has been cracking down on graphic content posted by ISIS fighters after a video showing the execution of American journalist James Foley was widely shared on the social network.

Twitter CEO Dick Costolo assured users that the company was "actively suspending accounts" that shared graphic imagery.

After mainstream social networks began cracking down on ISIS propaganda efforts, they began searching for alternative platforms to spread their message. The BBC reports that one such site is Diaspora, an alternative social network that relies on a Wikipedia-style model of decentralized management and community input to grow its community.

In a blog post on the official Diaspora blog, the site's founders explain that they're struggling to eradicate the growing number of ISIS supporters promoting the movement's activities on the site. The site's open-source, decentralized design means that staff are unable to moderate Diaspora, since each community runs on its own network, or "pod."

"All of the larger pods" have banned ISIS profiles, the blog post said, but many smaller groups have not responded to messages from Diaspora's staff about the issue.

Diaspora has grown a dedicated user base in the past thanks to its unusual approach to social networking. The site was initially created after a Kickstarter campaign raised $200,000 to develop the required software.