Inspired by Perpetrators of Mass Violence, ‘Dark Triad’ IQmaxxing Community Blends True Crime, Occult, and Looksmaxxing Content
A subset of the Looksmaxxing community aspiring to attain “Dark Triad” characteristics is emulating the personality and appearance of serial killers and sharing content that glorifies violence and abuse.
Key Finding
A subset of the Looksmaxxing community aspiring to attain “Dark Triad” characteristics is emulating the personality and appearance of serial killers and sharing content that glorifies violence and abuse. The subculture manifests slightly differently across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
Online Activity
- Some users promote Dark Triad tutorials on looksmaxxing forums and in short videos, primarily shared on TikTok. This content often features a Dark Triad icon and uses the hashtag #IQmaxx, suggesting that adopting Dark Triad characteristics can increase one’s IQ.
- Some community members use Facebook Groups to share video edits and provide advice on achieving Dark Triad traits. Some YouTube channels provide similar advice. Pinterest users share a variety of images related to the subculture. On Instagram and TikTok, users broadly reference "IQmaxxing" as akin to nihilism and misanthropy.
- Dark Triad followers often glorify serial killers, particularly Richard Ramirez, whom many Looksmaxxers believe to have the ideal facial structure. The community also frequently references the fictional character of Brian Moser from the TV show “Dexter.” Edits of Ramirez are sometimes tagged as Moser to avoid content moderation.
- Dark Triad and IQmaxxing content frequently features a range of Order of Nine Angles (O9A) iconography and the use of words like “sinister” and “Noctulian.” Images from violent groups such as No Lives Matter and Atomwaffen Division are also common. Sometimes the content is presented sincerely, and other times ironically or satirically.
- Some recent threat actors, including Gabriel Mutti, shared Dark Triad and IQmaxxing content. The satirical nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) group No Headsets Matter, which has ties to multiple school swatting threats, also shares similar content. Other violent extremists are sometimes edited into this type of content after their attacks.
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Network Mapping
We identify and map online communities based on how they interact, not just what they say, revealing the structural relationships between actors and audiences.
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We monitor how narratives form, evolve, and spread across platforms, distinguishing organic conversation from coordinated amplification.
Behavioral Analysis
We analyze patterns of behavior across accounts and networks to detect coordination, inauthentic activity, and influence operations.
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