Gaming Platforms Used by Extremists to Recruit, Radicalise Teens

A series of studies published in Frontiers in Psychology reveal that extremist groups, particularly far-right factions, are exploiting gaming-adjacent platforms such as Steam, Discord, and Twitch to recruit and radicalize young, impressionable users. These platforms, which enable chat and live streaming during gameplay, serve as 'digital playgrounds' where extremists, including neo-Nazis and conspiracy theorists, spread their ideology alongside misogyny, racism, and homophobia. Extremists deliberately funnel gamers from mainstream social media to these less-regulated sites, taking advantage of the challenges in moderating content and the hyper-masculine, team-based environment of popular games like Call of Duty and GTA V. Research led by Dr. William Allchorn and Dr. Elisa Orofino, involving interviews with platform moderators and counter-extremism experts, highlights how extremist recruitment often begins with grooming during gameplay matchmaking and continues on adjacent platforms. UK counter-terrorism agencies have issued warnings to parents about increased risks during school holidays, emphasizing a coordinated effort by far-right groups to use gaming events for recruitment. The findings underscore the need for enhanced moderation and updated policies to combat the adaptive nature of extremist activity on these platforms.