ASIO says youth radicalisation is surging, and social media is fuelling the threat.

At a summit focused on the dangers of social media for children, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess has warned of a “disturbing resurgence” in youth involvement in terrorism. 

He noted that all recent terror cases in Australia involved young people, including one as young as 14.

Burgess emphasised that the internet played a role in each case. 

During COVID-19, teenagers made up 50 per cent of ASIO's counter-terrorism caseload, a figure that has since decreased but is now rising again. 

Minors currently account for 20 per cent of ASIO's priority cases. Burgess expressed concern over young Australians displaying extremist symbols and sharing violent content.

Although Burgess avoided policy recommendations, he noted that ASIO is collaborating with security partners on a paper addressing youth radicalisation. 

He stressed the importance of regulating social media without infringing on free speech but maintained that platforms must not operate without accountability. 

“No corner of the internet should be above the rule of law,” Burgess stated.

Burgess also cautioned that artificial intelligence could accelerate the spread of extremism. 

Terrorist groups are already experimenting with AI to enhance recruitment campaigns, particularly on social media. He urged companies to harness AI to better identify and remove extremist content targeting children.

The summit, organised by the South Australian and New South Wales governments, coincided with the federal government's move to introduce a minimum social media age limit. 

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced that parents would not face penalties for breaches, with responsibility falling on social media platforms to enforce safeguards.

Burgess highlighted the prevalence of “violent misogynist propaganda” accessed by young people, including incel material linked to overseas terrorist attacks. 

He noted that users can quickly move from mainstream content to extremist networks through platforms like Telegram. Rapid self-radicalisation, he said, can now occur in days rather than months.

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