Popular gaming platforms including Discord, Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite have become recruitment tools for terrorist networks, with young people being radicalised in a matter of weeks, according to new research. The Global Terrorism Index has identified online gaming environments and social media as prime hunting grounds for extremists seeking to groom vulnerable adolescents. Algorithmic systems are accelerating exposure to radical material whilst simultaneously desensitising users to violence, the study found. The report describes this rapid online radicalisation as "one of the most pressing security concerns of the past decade", warning it is increasingly driving lone-wolf attacks across Western nations. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have further intensified the problem by exposing young people to extremist narratives at unprecedented levels. The study warns radicalisation, which previously required months or years, can now occur within weeks or even days, driven by "short-form online propaganda, algorithmic amplification and the exploitation of developmental vulnerabilities". This accelerated timeline poses particular dangers for teenagers, whose brains remain in development, according to the report's authors. The consequence is adolescents can progress from first encountering extremist material to committing violent acts before authorities have any chance to intervene. Children as young as eight have fallen victim to indoctrination by terrorist networks, though recruiters primarily focus on those aged between 15 and 25. Jonathan Hall KC, the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has previously warned vulnerable young people are being drawn "down the dial of death" online far more swiftly than through conventional grooming techniques. Minors now account for 42 per cent of all terrorism-related investigations across Europe and North America in 2025, representing a threefold rise compared with 2021. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Keir Starmer's team TWICE rejected ethics chief's offer to vet Lord Mandelson over links to Epstein Police enquiry into Andrew could 'widen beyond public misconduct' Another 150 small boat migrants cross the English Channel in just one day — thanks to warmer weather The pattern is evident throughout the continent, with France reporting that one in five terror cases in 2024 involved individuals under 18. Belgian intelligence services have seen similar trends, with minors making up a third of their investigations between 2022 and 2024. Parliament recently voted against implementing an Australian-style prohibition on social media access for under-16s, although MPs did approve measures granting the state enhanced powers to limit children's use of such platforms and chatbots. An Ofcom spokesman stated the regulator is "getting on with the job we've been given by Parliament to implement and enforce the Online Safety Act and change is happening". Steve Killelea, who heads the Institute for Economics and Peace, which produces the Index, said: "One of the most alarming developments in youth radicalisation is the weaponisation of online gaming and gaming-adjacent communication platforms, including Discord, Twitch, Steam and Roblox. "Multiplayer gaming environments provide ideal digital infrastructure for isolation, alternative community building and the normalisation of violence". Recruiters have exploited titles such as Minecraft, Fortnite and Call of Duty to forge connections with isolated teenagers through shared gaming interests, the report found. The research documented minors using simulation games to digitally rehearse attacks on mosques, synagogues and schools. Extremist communities have also created competitive "scoreboards" celebrating the death tolls of mass attackers, exploiting adolescent desires for achievement and peer recognition to encourage escalation. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter