112 students exposed to radicalism via social media and online games
The National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) reported that approximately 112 students across 26 provinces have been exposed to radical ideologies through social media and online games, with an average age of 13. The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA) noted that the widespread dissemination of radical views in digital spaces occurs via social media platforms, online games with private chat features, and other digital platforms.
“Radicalism, violent extremism, and intolerance propaganda in digital spaces pose a serious threat to children. Radical content infiltrates through emotional appeals, exclusive closed digital communities, and the exploitation of social media algorithms that amplify exposure to children,” said Deputy for Special Child Protection at Kemen PPPA, Titi Eko Rahayu on Thursday (28/5).
Titi highlighted that the use of social media, video platforms, online games, and messaging apps makes children increasingly vulnerable to hate speech, calls for violence, and radical ideologies.
However, child protection efforts cannot rely solely on content blocking or law enforcement; they must also be bolstered by strengthening family resilience and improving child support capacity.
“Parents and the surrounding community play a crucial role in creating safe spaces for children. Therefore, educating families on healthy digital monitoring and communication practices must be reinforced,” Titi said.
The Kemen PPPA has conducted education through outreach, advocacy, and early detection training for parents, teachers, and children on radical ideologies, but wider dissemination is still needed.
“Children today are deeply immersed in digital spaces. Therefore, protection approaches must adapt to their evolving online interactions. Child protection in the digital realm cannot be fragmented and requires robust preventive strategies through targeted education. We are revising educational materials to better equip children to recognise radical content,” Titi said.
Meanwhile, ICT Watch Director Indriyatno Banyumurti stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration to enhance digital literacy and child protection online. ICT Watch noted that digital radicalism patterns continue to evolve with societal platform trends, including those used by children and teenagers.
“Communication and education approaches must align with children’s characteristics and the digital platforms they use. Preventive messages cannot be delivered rigidly as digital challenges evolve rapidly. Educational content must compete with the torrent of information on social media,” he added.
BNPT reported that 112 Indonesian children were exposed to terrorist radicalisation via social media and online games throughout 2025, with the process accelerating rapidly in digital spaces.
Five junior high school students in Makassar were exposed to radical ideologies through online games and social media. DP3A and Densus 88 are conducting intensive psychological support.
Densus 88 Antiteror Polri released a list of 27 social media groups spreading extremist ideologies such as Neo-Nazism to children.
Densus 88 Antiteror Polri identified 70 children across 19 provinces exposed to ‘True Crime’ communities. The primary motivation was fleeing bullying and dysfunctional families.