
Title: Extremists using platforms like Twitch, Discord to recruit & radicalise players: Study
In today’s digital age, online gaming has become a popular pastime for many people around the world. With the rise of platforms like Twitch and Discord, gamers can now interact with each other in real-time while playing their favorite games. However, a recent study has found that extremist groups are also using these platforms to recruit and radicalize players, often with devastating consequences.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology, analyzed data from online gaming platforms and found that extremist groups are using these platforms to spread their ideology and recruit new members. The study’s co-author, Dr. Jessica Taylor, noted that “these platforms offer extremists direct access to large, often young and impressionable audiences.”
The study found that far-right extremism is the most commonly shared ideology on these platforms, with extremist groups using language and tactics to appeal to gamers’ sense of identity and belonging. The researchers analyzed data from Twitch and Discord, two of the most popular online gaming platforms, and found that extremist groups were using these platforms to spread their ideology and recruit new members.
One of the most concerning findings of the study was the ease with which extremist groups were able to infiltrate these platforms and spread their ideology. The researchers found that extremist groups were using language and tactics that were designed to appeal to gamers’ sense of identity and belonging, and were often able to go undetected by platform moderators.
This is a serious issue, as it suggests that extremist groups are able to use online gaming platforms to spread their ideology and recruit new members without fear of detection. The study’s findings are particularly concerning given the potential for these platforms to be used to spread hate speech and violence.
The study’s authors are calling for platforms like Twitch and Discord to take action to prevent extremist groups from using their platforms to spread their ideology. This could include implementing stricter moderation policies, as well as providing resources and support to gamers who may be vulnerable to extremist ideologies.
It’s not the first time that online gaming platforms have been used to spread extremist ideologies. In recent years, there have been several high-profile cases of extremist groups using online gaming platforms to spread their ideology and recruit new members. For example, in 2019, a group of white supremacists was banned from an online gaming platform after they were found to be spreading extremist ideology and recruiting new members.
The use of online gaming platforms to spread extremist ideologies is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multi-faceted approach. It’s not enough for platforms like Twitch and Discord simply to ban extremist groups from their platforms. Rather, they need to take a more proactive approach to preventing the spread of extremist ideologies, including providing resources and support to gamers who may be vulnerable to extremist ideologies.
The study’s findings are a wake-up call for online gaming platforms and for society as a whole. It’s clear that extremist groups are using online gaming platforms to spread their ideology and recruit new members, and it’s up to us to take action to prevent this from happening. By working together, we can ensure that online gaming platforms remain safe and welcoming for all gamers, regardless of their background or beliefs.