Far-Right Extremists Exploiting Gaming Platforms to Radicalize Teenagers, Report Warns

Far-Right Extremists Exploiting Gaming Platforms to Radicalize Teenagers, Report Warns
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A new report has revealed that far-right extremists are increasingly leveraging livestream gaming platforms to target and radicalize teenagers, primarily young males, The Guardian reported. The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology, indicates that these platforms, which combine chat and livestreaming capabilities during video gameplay, are being used for recruitment and radicalization by extremist groups and individuals.

In response, UK crime and counter-terror agencies, including Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, and the National Crime Agency, have issued a joint warning to parents and carers, urging heightened vigilance during the summer holidays when young people’s increased online free time might be exploited.

Dr. William Allchorn, a co-author of the study, described these “gaming-adjacent” platforms as “digital playgrounds” for extremist activity. He found that teenagers are deliberately “funnelled” from mainstream social media to these less-policed sites, where content promoting extreme violence and school shootings is shared. Extremist groups, like Patriotic Alternative, have intensified efforts to recruit young people through gaming events, focusing on building rapport rather than direct ideological indoctrination.

The report also highlighted challenges for moderators due to inconsistent enforcement and the sheer volume of harmful content, including the use of hidden symbols to bypass moderation tools. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, noted a threefold increase in three years of individuals under 18 being investigated for involvement in UK terrorism, underscoring the urgent need for critical digital literacy for both parents and law enforcement.