The Transnational Threat of Radicalization Through the Use of Online Gaming Platforms
Abstract
The use of online games to interact with others around the world and meet new people has been rapidly increasing with the development of relevant technology (e.g., cloud adoption and access, 5G wireless technology). Individuals who play video games are largely male and are of a younger demographic. These are the same demographics of individuals most vulnerable to radicalization. There is growing concern that this connectivity through gaming can provide fertile ground for a range of potentially criminal activity and radicalization. Extremist organizations are leveraging the gamification of extremism to both radicalize new individuals and virtually bringing already radicalized individuals together, leading to an increased spread of extremist ideology worldwide. A growing body of literature has focused on possible risk factors and vulnerabilities that might make a gamer more susceptible to radicalization as well as on the gamification of extremism. The gamification of extremism poses clear national security threats for both the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community (IC), particularly in terms of its counterintelligence implications. In order to address this concern, the DoD and IC can develop policies for moderating gaming and gaming app platforms for Federal employees and Service members, optimize the security clearance process to account for online gaming relationships, and modify current counterintelligence and cybersecurity training for Federal employees and Service members.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1207893
Entities
People
- Janna R. Mantua
- Sujeeta B. Bhatt
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses