Instagram and TikTok act as a ‘conveyor belt in direction of extremism’ as document numbers of kids are drawn into terrorism, Five Eyes report warns

Record numbers of children are being drawn into terrorism as Instagram and TikTok act as a ‘conveyor belt’ leading ‘towards extremism’, a landmark report has warned.

The ‘Five Eyes’ counter terrorism alliance has issued an unprecedented warning about the staggering rise in children globally being recruited online by extremist and terrorist groups.

For the first time since its inception during the Second World War, the alliance between the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has jointly published a paper which calls for a ‘whole society response’ to the radicalisation of children, describing it as a major threat to national security across the world.

The report calls for international action to stop increasing numbers of children being lured into ‘violent extremism pathways’ through social media and gaming platforms, warning that youngsters are just as capable of waging a deadly terrorist attack as an adult.

It comes as shock new figures published today separately by the Home Office reveal that children aged 11-15 now make up the largest proportion of referrals to the Government’s de-radicalisation Prevent programme.

Of the 6,884 referrals made to Prevent in the year to March 2024, 40 per cent (2,729 referrals) were aged 11-15, with those aged between 16 and 17 accounted for the second largest proportion (892 referrals; 13%) of referrals.

Hundreds of youngsters under the age of 10 are also being referred to Prevent.

Britain’s head of counter terrorism policing Matt Jukes said: ‘Many threads have to come together if we are to stop this conveyor belt leading children towards extremism.

Britain’s head of counter terrorism policing Matt Jukes said: ‘Parents need to take a more active role in their children’s online lives’

‘The technology companies making vast amounts of money from children on their platforms must invest in making those platforms safer. Parents need to take a more active role in their children’s online lives.’

He said: ‘Since 2020, Counter Terrorism Policing has been warning of the growing numbers of children being arrested in relation to terrorism offences. Last year we arrested more children than we ever have before, some as young as 12 years old.

‘This is not a phenomenon unique to the UK, our colleagues across the world are dealing with the exact same problem and in many cases we are seeing the influence of the same extremist networks reach across all of the Five Eyes countries.

‘For all the benefits it brings, the internet has also globalised extremism, accelerated the spread of hateful ideologies internationally, and made it possible for anyone with an internet connection to reach into the lives of children halfway round the world.’

The report warns: ‘Online environments provide an avenue for first approaches to minors, including through seemingly innocuous social media and gaming platforms, such as Discord, Instagram, Roblox and TikTok.

Record numbers of children are being drawn into terrorism as Instagram and TikTok act as a ‘conveyor belt’ leading ‘towards extremism’, a landmark report has warned (file photo)

‘In these platforms, violent extremism is made more accessible, as violent extremist content can be created within the platforms themselves.’

Titled ‘Young People and Violent Extremism: A Call for Collective Action’, the paper warns of a growing prevalence of children being drawn into violent extremism globally saying: ‘We are increasingly concerned about the radicalisation of minors, and minors who support, plan or undertake terrorist activities.

‘Radicalised minors can pose the same credible terrorist threat as adults, and law enforcement and security agencies cannot address this issue alone.’

Research found that ‘violent extremist content is more accessible, more digestible and more impactful than ever before’ with children ‘increasingly normalising violent behaviour in online groups, including joking about carrying out terrorist attacks’.

Now the alliance are calling for collective action from parents to get involved in their child’s online life, the tech industry needs to invest in safety and governments must strengthen legislation because ‘once law enforcement and security agencies become involved it is often too late’.

The ‘Five Eyes’ counter terrorism alliance has issued an unprecedented warning about the staggering rise in children globally being recruited online by extremist and terrorist groups

Mr Jukes said: ‘My Five Eyes colleagues and I are calling the alarm globally about the risk to our children, and every single one of us has a role to play in the collective response we need to reduce that threat.’

The paper sets out key issues including the fact that children are ‘digital natives’ who are more technically savvy than previous generations and they are using online plaforms, often encrypted ones, which places them at risk from sex offenders, extremists and other malign actors.

The report highlights that mental health conditions like autism and neurodiversity also play a significant role in a child’s suspectibility to radicalisation.

Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Mike Burgess, said: ‘In every one of the terrorist attacks, disruptions and suspected terrorist incidents in Australia this year, the alleged perpetrator was a young person.

‘As a parent, the numbers are shocking. As an intelligence officer, the numbers are sobering.’