A 13-year-old boy from Maryborough has been charged with terror offences, highlighting a disturbing trend of youth radicalisation driven by online gaming and social media platforms. According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), out of 32 individuals arrested under strict violent extremist material laws since 2024, 19 were children.
Online Grooming on Gaming Platforms
Experts warn that recruiters are exploiting online gaming forums and social media apps to target vulnerable teenagers. Professor Greg Barton from Deakin University stated, "Decades ago you were told not to speak to strangers in the park. Now they're in your bedroom chatting in your e-gaming forum." The isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have accelerated this crisis, pushing lonely children into dark corners of the web.
Recent Arrests and Cases
In recent weeks, several teenagers have been arrested by anti-terror squads. These include a 16-year-old in Darwin accused of sharing neo-Nazi propaganda and a 17-year-old in Canberra charged with plotting a racist terror attack. Additionally, teenagers in Sydney and Melbourne were allegedly found in possession of ISIS execution videos and bomb-making blueprints.
Rapid Radicalisation
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett noted that radicalisation now occurs within days, rather than months or years. "It used to take months or years to radicalise an individual, but now, in some cases, it is happening within days," she said. ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess confirmed that around 20% of the agency's priority counter-terrorism cases involve young people.
Expert Insights
Peta Lowe, former director of countering violent extremism for New South Wales Juvenile Justice, warned that older generations are unaware of the dangers in digital spaces. "Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Reddit, TikTok, WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube – it's out there," she said, adding that children experience online life as real life.
Security officials emphasise that internet algorithms and rapid-fire messaging have made it possible for children to be radicalised overnight, bypassing traditional barriers. The alarming trend underscores the need for greater awareness and intervention to protect vulnerable youth from online grooming.
