The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has warned that the speed and scale of online radicalisation among young people is creating one of the country’s most serious national security challenges, calling for urgent intervention from governments, technology companies, families and communities.
AFP Acting Deputy Commissioner for National Security Investigations Sandra Booth delivered the warning at a public hearing of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security’s inquiry into the nature and drivers of radicalisation in Australia.
“This issue was one of the first areas of concern publicly raised by AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett when she was appointed as Commissioner last year.”
She conveyed Barrett’s warning that Australia was approaching a “tsunami of youth crime” as young and vulnerable people were being radicalised and manipulated at increasing speed.
Booth opened her statement by acknowledging the alleged attack against independent MP for Indi, Dr Helen Haines, saying the AFP’s thoughts were with Haines and her family.
Booth cited cases investigated by Australian law enforcement to illustrate how online platforms can expose children to violent extremist material and criminal exploitation.
In one case, a Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigated a 13-year-old boy who allegedly possessed violent extremist material on Discord. During a search of his home, investigators allegedly found a notebook containing plans for a school shooting.
The juvenile is before the courts over an alleged offence relating to making a document likely to facilitate terrorist acts.
In another case, a teenage Australian was charged with using a carriage service for child abuse material. The AFP alleged the teenager had connected with an online network associated with extreme abuse and exploitation.
Booth also warned about loosely affiliated online groups, including the Com and 764, which she said could use blackmail, sexual exploitation, violence and disturbing content to manipulate victims.
Such networks can turn victims into perpetrators by coercing them into harming themselves, animals or other people, she said. Young people may believe complying with demands will stop the harassment or blackmail, only to become further trapped in the abuse.
Girls can be particularly vulnerable when experiencing low self-esteem, eating disorders or mental health difficulties, Booth said, although boys are also targeted.
A key concern for the AFP is the dramatic reduction in the time it can take to manipulate vulnerable individuals.
“Previously, it used to take months or years to radicalise or manipulate individuals, but now, in some cases, it is happening within days.”
She attributed this acceleration to several factors, including artificial intelligence, online networks becoming more sophisticated, young people searching for purpose and belonging, and growing grievances.
While AI and other technologies offer opportunities for law enforcement, Booth said the AFP was concerned they were lowering the skills required to manipulate people online and cause serious harm.
She warned that the current threat differed significantly from earlier periods of concern, including the rise of Islamic State in the mid-2010s.
Without effective intervention, Booth said, the consequences could extend beyond national security, placing pressure on mental health, education, financial and judicial systems as young people experienced repeated victimisation or became involved in serious offending.
She also warned that online manipulation and the grievances promoted by criminal networks could undermine trust in communities, weaken democratic institutions and damage Australia’s social cohesion.
Booth said the response needed to extend beyond policing, with greater emphasis on early intervention, education and prevention.
The AFP has initiated research into youth radicalisation and violent extremism, which Booth said was in the final stages of peer review.
It has also established a special advisory group involving representatives from faith communities, mental health organisations and youth advocacy not-for-profits. The group will advise on ways to educate parents, carers and children, including those who may have limited awareness of online risks or be reluctant to engage with law enforcement.
AFP Commissioner Barrett has also held meetings with major technology companies in Australia and overseas to explore potential responses.
Booth highlighted two further initiatives aimed at addressing threats that fall outside conventional counter-terrorism investigations.
The National Security Investigations teams are designed to disrupt high-harm and high-impact cases involving politically motivated violence, communal violence and hate crimes that do not meet the threshold for terrorism investigations.
The proposed Counter Terrorism Online Centre (CTOC) will bring together capabilities from the AFP and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to identify, assess and coordinate responses to credible online threats.
The centre is intended to focus on online environments where hate and exploitation can flourish, including gaming platforms, encrypted communications services and social media.
Booth said the initiative would seek to combine human expertise with artificial intelligence that remained under human supervision. Its rollout would occur in phases, allowing for technological development and potential legislative changes.
Concluding her statement, Booth acknowledged that the examples were confronting but said public discussion was necessary to address the challenge.
The inquiry is examining the drivers of radicalisation in Australia as authorities confront the growing intersection of youth vulnerability, online exploitation, extremist content and rapidly evolving technology.
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