Action against extremists using gaming platforms
The use of generative-AI to create and disseminate propaganda and hate speech has reached unprecedented levels, especially in the right-wing scene. Terrorists interconnect with a growing variety of online communities recruiting minors and young adults to perform extreme violent acts, Europol says in its report on terrorism and trends for 2025. The organisation announced that it recently has identified and removed racist and xenophobic propaganda shared on gaming and gaming-related platforms.
“Cryptocurrencies continued to be exploited for terrorism financing, and have also become crucial in the “digital hawala”, the digital adaptation of the traditional hawala system”, Europol says in the 2025 report.
“Terrorists and violent extremists continued to exploit a multiplicity of technologies, showing different levels of know-how – ranging from mere reproduction and sharing of violent extremist content to actual production of AI-generated material, use of immersive technologies and advanced digital financing tools.”
The organisation stresses that the trend of very young people involved in jihadist terrorism-related cases continued, with groups of minors observed to network online, radicalise together and plan attacks.
The Europol’s recent action against gaming and gaming-related platforms involved Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom and led to the referral of thousands of URLs leading to “dangerous and illicit online material”.
“This includes around 5 408 links to jihadist content, 1 070 links to violent right-wing extremist and terrorist content, and 105 links to racist and xenophobic content.”
“This joint action highlights the complexity of tackling terrorist, racist and xenophobic content online on gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms.”
“Creation and dissemination processes are layered and often affect several platforms. For instance, content may be recorded within an online game (or its chat function), altered with violent extremist jargon, suggestive emojis, chants, or music, and then disseminated on a mainstream social media platform.”
Europol says experts have combed through a variety of platforms widely used by youngsters and adults alike.
“Users of such gaming and streaming platforms can encounter a variety of dangerous and violent content.”
“For example, perpetrators re-enact terrorist attacks, school shootings, or execution scenes in 3D gameplay, edit the video with chants or suggestive emojis, and disseminate it on various commonly used social media platforms for even wider reach.”
“Other gaming-related platforms intended for streaming gameplay are misused to recruit minors into various violent extremist and terrorist groups or to livestream real attacks and even suicides.”
The content targeted during the recent action was found across several kinds of platforms.
“Some allow players to broadcast their gameplay in real-time and interact with their community via live chat, while others host video-on-demand. Illicit content was also identified on community platforms intended to facilitate the exchange of tips, news, and discussions about video games.”
“Lastly, there are hybrid or specialised platforms that combine streaming, community features, and gaming purchase options. Many accounts on these platforms may not immediately be recognisable as being linked to problematic content, while some even feature usernames and profile pictures with references to infamous terrorists.”
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