How some online networks target and radicalize kids

Summary

Consider This from NPR: How Some Online Networks Target and Radicalize Kids

Release Date: August 7, 2025

The latest episode of NPR's Consider This delves into the alarming trend of online networks targeting and radicalizing children. Through the harrowing story of Dana and her son, the podcast uncovers how extremist groups exploit vulnerable youth, the challenges parents face, and the efforts of law enforcement and experts to combat this growing threat.

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1. Introduction: A Troubling Shift

The episode opens with Dana's account of her son, once a well-rounded ninth grader managing his time effectively between music, art, and academics. However, the fall of 2023 marked a significant downturn as her son began retreating into his phone amidst personal upheavals, including bullying, the disintegration of a long-standing friend group, and his parents' separation.

Dana: "He plays music, he plays drums, he plays guitar, he sings, he draws, he writes, he reads. Like he had enough things to keep him busy otherwise."
— [00:05]

2. The Descent into Extremism

As Dana noticed her son's increasing isolation and self-harm, she implemented parental controls to restrict his online activity. Despite these measures, her son circumvented restrictions, leading Dana to suspect that online platforms were a source of his distress and radicalization.

Dana: "He had an iPhone, so I had Apple parental controls set up."
— [00:42]

Dana observed behavioral changes, including extreme political rhetoric influenced by neo-fascist ideologies. Her son's self-harm escalated from minor cuts to more severe injuries, coinciding with his deepening involvement in extremist online communities.

Dana: "We were given a safety plan to lock up items in the home that he could use to harm himself."
— [01:14]

3. Confronting the Reality of Radicalization

Dana's attempts to address her son's issues were met with standard teenage challenges, but she became increasingly concerned about the nature of his online interactions. Her fears materialized when her daughter discovered a customized hunting knife in her son's possession, linked to the predatory network known as "764."

Dana: "Does he have another weapon on him at school right now? Does he have a weapon at home? Like is he gonna hurt somebody or somebody else or himself?"
— [04:34]

The FBI revealed that networks like 764 are involved in various criminal activities, including terrorism plots and child exploitation, emphasizing the grave risks these groups pose.

4. The Broader Impact of Extremist Networks

The podcast highlights that Dana's experience is part of a larger pattern where extremist networks encourage children to harm themselves and others. Incidents in multiple countries underscore the global reach and dangerous influence of these groups.

Dana: "RCMP have arrested an Edmonton area teen on suspicion of terrorism."
— [07:53]

From Canada to Brazil and Sweden, teens have been implicated in plots ranging from bomb threats to live-streamed attacks on vulnerable populations, illustrating the diverse manifestations of online radicalization.

5. Law Enforcement and Prevention Efforts

Former Homeland Security official William Braniff discusses the challenges law enforcement faces in addressing nihilistic violent extremism, now deemed the top concern. Despite ongoing investigations—over 250 cases—the consensus among experts is that policing alone is insufficient.

William Braniff: "Nihilistic violent extremism had become the number one concern."
— [08:29]

Matthew Kreiner of the Institute for Countering Digital Extremism emphasizes the need for a public health approach, advocating for education and therapeutic resources to prevent and mitigate the impact of these networks.

Matthew Kreiner: "Most of these behaviors and the harms that are being perpetrated are peer to peer."
— [10:13]

6. The Role of Federal Support and Community Action

The episode critiques the reduction of federal resources under the Trump administration, which has hindered local efforts to combat online extremism. Cynthia Miller Idris of American University stresses that without federal coordination, responses will be inconsistent and inadequate.

Cynthia Miller Idris: "We see the one or two school shootings in the news and we think, oh, that's a tragic incident."
— [08:54]

7. Dana's Path to Recovery and Advocacy

After months of struggle, Dana successfully removed her son from harmful online environments through a partial hospitalization program and by replacing his smartphone with a flip phone. Although his recovery has been gradual, Dana remains vigilant and now shares her story to raise awareness.

Dana: "Now I feel like when I talk about it, I get one of two reactions. One is that could never happen to us because we have parental controls and screen time and our kid would never do something like that. Or two, I had no idea that something like this could happen."
— [13:26]

8. Conclusion: A Call to Action

NPR's Consider This emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the radicalization of youth online. By sharing Dana's story, the podcast aims to educate parents, educators, and communities about the signs of online extremism and the importance of proactive measures to safeguard children.

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Notable Quotes:

• Dana: "He was fully naked."
  — [06:52]

• William Braniff: "What we're really talking about here is this network has gained its own."
  — [09:36]

• Matthew Kreiner: "It's happening from youth to youth and they're bringing in individuals faster than we can disrupt."
  — [10:13]

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Final Thoughts

The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the silent battles many families face in the digital age. It underscores the complexity of online radicalization and the multifaceted approach required to combat it, involving law enforcement, community support, and mental health resources.

For more insights and stories like Dana's, tune into NPR's Consider This or visit plus.npr.org/considerthis.

Transcript

[Ari Shapiro]

Before her son entered ninth grade, Dana says he managed his time online pretty well.

[Dana]

He plays music, he plays drums, he plays guitar, he sings, he draws, he writes, he reads. Like he had enough things to keep him busy otherwise. So it had never really been a source of conflict until fall of 2023.

[Ari Shapiro]

We're not using Dana's full name because her son is a minor. The fall of 2023 was a bumpy time. And before we go any further, we want to warn you that today's story contains graphic descriptions of self harm. Dana's son was being bullied at school. The core friend group he'd had for a long time had broken apart and his parents were separating. There was a lot of change. At the beginning of the school year, Dana noticed her son was retreating into his phone.

[Dana]

He had an iPhone, so I had Apple parental controls set up.

[Ari Shapiro]

Dana set up screen time locks for some websites. She limited his time online. He wasn't allowed on social media. But then she'd find out he had figured out some way around everything. His personality was also changing. Dana said he was isolating himself. He stopped doing things he used to enjoy. And over a few months, she became aware that he was self harming. At first, it was just small cuts on his arms. Sometimes he'd come to her afterward asking for help. He said he felt like he was losing control.

[Dana]

We were given a safety plan to lock up items in the home that he could use to harm himself. But it seemed like somehow he kept finding other items to harm himself.

[Ari Shapiro]

Before all this began, Dana's son had already been seeing a therapist. He's neurodivergent, and she says therapy helped equip him to navigate a neurotypical world. Dana brought up the self harm and the behavioral changes at his appointments. She says they were told it was normal teenage stuff. Even that he should spend more time online because it's where he seemed to be finding community. But Dana was starting to worry that actually he was being radicalized online. He'd started dropping what she calls extreme political comments into conversations, including neo fascist talking points.

[Dana]

You know, the whole entire government just needs to fall into complete anarchy and be rebuilt from scratch.

[Ari Shapiro]

Consider this. The experience of Dana and her son are part of a pattern of extremist networks encouraging kids to hurt themselves, other children, and even animals. And in some countries, those networks have been tied to mass casualty and terrorism plots. From npr, I'm Ari Shapiro.

[Odet Youssef]

This message comes from Ollie. Back to school season can take a lot out of parents. Ollie is dedicated to helping you prioritize your wellness with solutions that fit seamlessly into your routine, like Women's Multi and Probiotic Mango for your immune system and Ollie's Sleep Gummies for nighttime rest when occasional sleeplessness occurs. Shop these products and [e-mail] or retailers nationwide. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

[Cynthia Miller Idris]

Federal funding for public media has been eliminated, which means decades of support for public radio and television from both political parties is ending. To be clear, NPR isn't going anywhere. But we do need your support. We hope you'll give today to keep rigorous, independent and irreplaceable news coverage available to everyone free of char. Make your [e-mail] and thank you.

[Ari Shapiro]

It's consider this from NPR. The FBI is investigating more than 250 cases of people who may be tied to online networks targeting children. NPR extremism correspondent Odet Youssef followed the story of Dana and her son and looked into how law enforcement is handling the threat.

[William Braniff]

Dana was looking for help. She contacted a group that guides people out of extremist movements. She was also trying to find a new therapist for her son. But before those resources came together, things came to a head.

[Dana]

My younger daughter had found that my son was in possession of a large hunting knife.

[William Braniff]

It was something he had specially ordered on Etsy.

[Dana]

It was very long and had been customized with the inscription Death. It had a gut hook like it was a very intricate weapon.

[William Braniff]

And Dana was being presented with this knife five minutes before she had to get her son from school. Questions were running through her head.

[Dana]

Does he have another weapon on him at school right now? Does he have a weapon at home? Like is he gonna hurt somebody or somebody else or himself?

[William Braniff]

Just then Dana got a call. It was the pediatrician's office finally getting back to her about a new therapist. She told them about the knife. They told her to pick him up, but to make sure a school resource officer and local police were on scene in case he was additionally armed. And they said she should take him immediately to the children's hospital. Dana said the ride there was traumatic. He was angry and crying. He said she was making a big deal of nothing. But at the hospital, Dana finally started to understand how serious his situation had become.

[Dana]

He had extensive self harm all over his torso, like hovering his torso, most of his arms, satanic symbols that were deep enough to leave permanent scars. I later found out that some of these symbols may possibly have been call out signs to 764.

[William Braniff]

764 is one of the predatory networks that targets vulnerable people online, including children. In the U.S. nearly a dozen 764 affiliated people have been arrested since 2021. It's been tied to attacks, arson, child sexual abuse, material, child sexploitation, bomb threats, plots to murder, and at least two deaths. Police told Dana that if someone from the network had been in direct contact with her son, that would represent a grave risk to himself and possibly even to his family.

[Dana]

So I spent approximately two hours going through his phone and I still have nightmares about it.

[William Braniff]

Dana found that there had been direct contact very recently with someone, but that person's identity remains unknown. What really disturbed her were images she saw from gore websites, sites that feature graphic violent videos that desensitize viewers. There was also other upsetting content on the phone.

[Dana]

My son had taken hundreds of pictures that were categorized as child self harm sexual content. So they started with, here's just a little scratch on my arm. Here's a bigger scratch, here's some all over my arm. And at the end it was cuts all over his torso, thighs, arms, and he was fully naked.

[William Braniff]

Dana came to learn that her son was being influenced online by groups that the FBI now calls nihilistic violent extremist networks. Predators in these networks are known to coerce children into sending them explicit photos or videos. They solicit images of kids harming themselves and others. In the US they've been linked to some school shootings. And in other countries, kids are also falling victim to the influence of these groups.

[Dana]

RCMP have arrested an Edmonton area teen on suspicion of terrorism.

[William Braniff]

In Canada, a 15 year old was recently accused of plotting a terrorism offense in connection with these networks. In May, a free Lady Gaga concert at Copacabana beach in Brazil was nearly the site of a bomb attack, a plot they say had been orchestrated by a group promoting hate speech and the radicalization of teenagers. And teens in Sweden have been arrested for live streaming attacks on random elderly victims.

[Matthew Kreiner]

It's much larger than Americans understand.

[William Braniff]

William Braniff is former head of the center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships. It's part of the Department of Homeland Security. CP3, as it's called, works with local communities to take a public health approach to preventing terrorism and targeted violence. Braniff says by the time he left that post in March, nihilistic violent extremism had become the number one concern.

[Cynthia Miller Idris]

We see the one or two school shootings in the news and we think, oh, that's a tragic incident.

[William Braniff]

What we don't see is the iceberg below the waterline. Work began during the Biden administration to better define and address this growing problem. Some of that has continued under the Trump administration. Since 2021, about a dozen people have been arrested in the US for their predatory activities. The FBI wouldn't speak to NPR for this story, but in a statement it says it's pursuing 250 investigations involving these networks. But counterextremism researchers agree that law enforcement alone won't solve it.

[Matthew Kreiner]

This has grown beyond that original core network and it's a very scary proposition to think about because what we're really talking about here is this network has gained its own.

[William Braniff]

Matthew Kreiner heads the Institute for Countering Digital Extremism. He has testified as an expert in federal cases involving these networks and helped the Department of Justice define this new category of extremist violence. Kreiner says arresting people who establish or orchestrate these networks won't stop them because what they do is encourage their victims children to then become predators.

[Matthew Kreiner]

Most of these behaviors and the harms that are being perpetrated are peer to peer. So it's happening from youth to youth and they're bringing in individuals faster than we can disrupt.

[William Braniff]

Kriiner, Braniff and others say prevention needs to be the focus that would look like educating teachers, parents and health sector workers to spot warning signs that a child is involved with these networks and and it would shore up therapeutic resources to help kids trying to remove themselves from these networks and deal with the trauma of the online content they've already absorbed. But the Trump administration has significantly cut federal resources for local violence and terrorism prevention. Braniff says the office he used to head is down from 45 people to six. One of them is its new 22 year old director, a recent college graduate with no experience in law enforcement or national security. And it appears that agency still hasn't solicited applications from local communities for grants for the current fiscal year, even though only two months remain. CP3 media representatives did not respond to questions from NPR. Cynthia Miller Idris of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University says this means that local and state governments will have to step up. She says there's no doubt that at some point they will all see instances of these networks pernicious reach. I have heard from one after school practitioner and they have four families who.

[Dana]

Are dealing with this right now just.

[Matthew Kreiner]

In their school district that they're working.

[William Braniff]

With, Miller Idris says without resources and coordination at a federal level, what communities do to counter these effects will be very uneven. She calls this category of violence a whole of society issue and one that will require rapid and creative mobilization of resources for communities to address. It took months for Dana to extricate her son from these toxic online environments. Dana found a partial hospitalization program where he'd spend six to seven hours a day in therapy. His progress wasn't constant. There were setbacks, but a key part of his recovery has been losing his smartphone. He's got a flip phone now, and Dana says he's happier. Dana's convinced he got help at just the right time. Through all this, he was still being bullied at school and he was angry at the people doing that to him.

[Dana]

I worry that if he would have copped Viewing this content the police officer was very emphatic that we were probably days away from a very horrible outcome, either, you know, him harming somebody else or himself.

[William Braniff]

Now, a year later, Dana says she finally feels ready to be sharing their story publicly. She says she hopes it will help anyone with children in their lives and to become more aware of the harms that kids may encounter online.

[Dana]

Now I feel like when I talk about it, I get one of two reactions. One is that could never happen to us because we have parental controls and screen time and our kid would never do something like that. Or two, I had no idea that something like this could happen. Please tell me more. I want to learn.

[Ari Shapiro]

That was NPR's Odette Youssef. The this episode was produced by Michael Levitt and Mark Rivers. It was edited by Andrew Sussman and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigun. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in Crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis lifeline. It's Consider this from npr. Hi, I'm Ari Shapiro.

[Sammy Yenigun]

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[Michael Levitt]

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[William Braniff]

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[Dana]

Separately, they shouldn't be separated at all. I think you have to understand one.

[William Braniff]

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[Odet Youssef]

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