(Press-News.org) New research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology reveals how extremist groups are exploiting the popularity of video games to recruit and radicalise impressionable users.
The study shows that gaming-adjacent platforms, which allow users to chat and live stream while playing, are being used as “digital playgrounds” for extremist activity and that video game players are being deliberately “funnelled” by extremists from mainstream social media platforms to these sites, in part because of the challenges faced in moderating them.
The research was carried out by Dr William Allchorn and Dr Elisa Orofino, senior research fellows at Anglia Ruskin University’s International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), and includes interviews with platform content moderators, tech industry experts and those involved in preventing and countering violent extremism.
It found that far-right extremism is the most common ideology shared on these gaming-adjacent platforms. This includes content promoting white supremacy, neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism, often accompanied by misogyny, racism, homophobia and conspiracy theories, including references to QAnon.
Islamist extremism was also reported, though less frequently, alongside “extremist-adjacent” material such as the glorification of school shootings – all content that violates the terms of service of mainstream platforms but often evades detection.
The study explains that hyper-masculine gaming titles, such as first-person shooter games, have particular appeal to extremists, and highlights how the unique nature of online gaming brings together strangers with a common interest.
After initial contact, funnelling takes place where interactions move to the less regulated gaming-adjacent platforms, providing an environment where extremists can socialise, share propaganda and subtly recruit.
One interviewee in the study explained how grooming might start: “That's where you have matchmaking. It's where you can build quick rapport with people. But that's the stuff that very quickly moves to adjacent platforms, where there's sort of less monitoring.”
A recurring concern among participants was the danger of younger users coming under the influence of extremist influencers, who combined streaming live game play with extremist narratives.
Participants highlighted that law enforcement need to better understand how these platforms and their subcultures operate, and also emphasised the importance of educating parents, teachers and children about the risks of online radicalisation.
Moderators who took part in the study expressed frustration at inconsistent enforcement policies on their platforms and the burden of deciding whether content or users should be reported to local law enforcement agencies.
In-game chat is unmoderated, but the moderators still report being overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of harmful content, including the use of hidden symbols often used to circumvent banned words.
AI tools are being used to assist with moderation, but they struggle to interpret memes or when language is ambiguous or sarcastic. Phrases such as “I’m going to kill you” may be common in gameplay, but difficult for automated systems to interpret in context.
Co-author of the study Dr William Allchorn, Senior Research Fellow at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “These gaming-adjacent platforms offer extremists direct access to large, often young and impressionable audiences and they have become a key tool for extremist recruitment.
“Social media platforms have attracted most of the attention of lawmakers and regulators over the last decade, but these platforms have largely flown under the radar, while at the same time becoming digital playgrounds for extremists to exploit.
“The nature of radicalisation and the dissemination of extremist content is not confined to any single platform and our research identified a widespread lack of effective detection and reporting tools.
“Many users don’t know how to report extremist content, and even when they do, they often feel their concerns aren’t taken seriously. Strengthening moderation systems, both AI and human, is essential, as is updating platform policies to address content that is harmful but technically lawful. Decisive action works and platforms can be doing more to help curb the spread of extremism.”
END
Extremists use gaming platforms to recruit - study
New research reveals how harmful content is evading detection on popular sites
2025-07-31
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Nearly 70% of U.S. children in car crashes with a fatality were not using proper child passenger restraints, study finds
2025-07-31
Despite national guidelines, state laws and known safety benefits of child passenger restraint systems (CRS), suboptimal practices were found in nearly 70% of children under 13 years old who were involved in car crashes with a fatality from 2011 to 2021, according to a study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.
“Given the continued problem of suboptimal child passenger safety practices among children across the country, there is a need for innovative, targeted programs to promote correct and consistent use of age-appropriate car seats, ...
Understanding what makes some bladder cancers resistant to chemotherapy
2025-07-31
About one quarter of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) may be treated and derive a benefit with the current standard chemotherapy. To better understand why some tumors resist chemotherapy and identify better ways to treat those cancers, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have conducted a detailed molecular analysis of MIBC tumors. The results, published in Cell Reports Medicine, offer potential new ways to identify which patients will benefit from chemotherapy and reveal possible new treatment strategies.
“One of our goals was to identify molecular markers in patient tumors that would help us predict which patients were ...
Protecting your beating heart
2025-07-31
You may have heard the phrase “my heart skipped a beat” when someone was talking about a romantic encounter. In truth, hearts that beat irregularly are dangerous for your health. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of irregular heartbeat, and over time, it can worsen and become a permanent condition, a severe disorder that’s the leading preventable cause of ischemic stroke, according to the NIH. Nicolae Moise, a research scientist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State University ...
The key to lowering your water bill may already be at your door
2025-07-31
Doorbell cameras are already used for home security. But what if they could save you money on your water bill?
Researchers from Texas A&M University have developed an innovative irrigation system that combines doorbell cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to make lawn irrigation more efficient. Their recently published paper details this sustainable irrigation system, dubbed ERIC by the researchers.
The ERIC system makes home irrigation smarter, leading to increased efficiency and sustainability. The study shows that ERIC can help users save ...
Saliva testing may reveal early signs of diabetes and obesity
2025-07-31
Measuring elevated levels of insulin in blood, called hyperinsulinemia, is a proven way to measure metabolic health and can show risk of developing future health concerns, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
Now, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has found that measuring insulin levels in saliva offers a non-invasive way to do the same test—without the need for needles or lab-based blood work.
Dr. Jonathan Little, Professor with UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says that a simple spit ...
4D images show heat shield damage goes below the surface
2025-07-31
Rather than completely burning up when a spacecraft reenters Earth’s atmosphere, its heat shield’s outer surface is sacrificed to protect the rest of the vehicle. The carbon fibers decompose, dissipating the heat. It was assumed that this only happens on the surface, but in a recent study, researchers from The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and four other institutions gained new information about how the protective carbon fiber material evolves, not just at the surface, but beneath, where structural failure could occur and threaten the life of the vehicle.
According ...
Hibernator “superpowers” may lie hidden in human DNA
2025-07-31
Animals that hibernate are incredibly resilient. They can spend months without food or water, muscles refusing to atrophy, body temperature dropping to near freezing as their metabolism and brain activity slow to a crawl. When they emerge from hibernation, they recover from dangerous health changes similar to those seen in type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke.
New genetic research suggests that hibernating animals’ superpowers could lie hidden in our own DNA—and provides ...
Changes in diet drove physical evolution in early humans
2025-07-31
As early humans spread from lush African forests into grasslands, their need for ready sources of energy led them to develop a taste for grassy plants, especially grains and the starchy plant tissue hidden underground.
But a new Dartmouth-led study shows that hominins began feasting on these carbohydrate-rich foods before they had the ideal teeth to do so. The study provides the first evidence from the human fossil record of behavioral drive, wherein behaviors beneficial for survival emerge before the physical adaptations that make it easier, the researchers report in Science.
The study authors analyzed ...
Experts call for science- and evidence-based AI policy
2025-07-31
In a Policy Forum, Rishi Bommasani et al. argue that successful artificial intelligence (AI) policy must be grounded in solid evidence and scientific understanding rather than hype or political expediency. “AI policymaking should place a premium on evidence: Scientific understanding and systematic analysis should inform policy, and policy should accelerate evidence generation,” write Bommasani et al. Although developing sound AI policy hinges on clearly defining and effectively using credible evidence, the authors ...
Challenges in governing rapidly emerging marine-climate interventions
2025-07-31
In a Review, Tiffany Morrison and colleagues discuss the risks associated with rapidly emerging marine-climate intervention approaches. Because current governance systems are ill-suited to the scale and novelty of these new interventions, the authors argue, new regulatory frameworks are urgently needed to balance risk and reward, avoid harm, and ensure that ocean-based climate solutions are safe, equitable, and effective. Rapid climate-driven changes are occurring in marine ecosystems worldwide. As ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
SFU researchers develop a new tool that brings blender-like lighting control to any photograph
Pups in tow, Yellowstone-area wolves trek long distances to stay near prey
AI breakthrough unlocks 'new' materials to replace lithium-ion batteries
Making molecules make sense: A regional explanation method reveals structure–property relationships
Partisan hostility, not just policy, drives U.S. protests
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 1, 2025
Young human blood serum factors show potential to rejuvenate skin through bone marrow
Large language models reshape the future of task planning
Narrower coverage of MS drugs tied to higher relapse risk
Researchers harness AI-powered protein design to enhance T-cell based immunotherapies
Smartphone engagement during school hours among US youths
Online reviews of health care facilities
MS may begin far earlier than previously thought
New AI tool learns to read medical images with far less data
Announcing XPRIZE Healthspan as Tier 5 Sponsor of ARDD 2025
Announcing Immortal Dragons as Tier 4 Sponsor of ARDD 2025
Reporting guideline for chatbot health advice studies
Announcing Mitra Bio as Tier 3 Sponsor of ARDD 2025
Study identifies global upswing in photosynthesis driven by land, offset by oceans
Study reports final clinical trial data for advanced kidney cancer treatment
Antibiotic resistant bacteria found in malnourished children under five years old
Study: Most US homes can save money and affordably weather blackouts with solar plus storage
The human touch of doctors will still be needed in the AI healthcare revolution, technology expert suggests
Helping me, inhibiting you: Analysis of interactions between intestinal microbiota
Hearing loss lowers prospects of employment and higher income for young Americans
Dramatically lower temperature, same high performance!
Trigger warnings fall flat, but safe spaces build trust in the classroom
Searching for a lethal needle in a haystack: synthetic opioid 1000 times more potent than morphine
Smart wound monitor poised to improve chronic infection care
Study reveals spinning could reduce NHS waiting lists for physiotherapy treatments
[Press-News.org] Extremists use gaming platforms to recruit - studyNew research reveals how harmful content is evading detection on popular sites