Protecting Our Teens: Combating Online Ideological Motivated Violent Hate Groups
- The White Hatter
- Mar 8, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: May 7
Caveat: what spawned this blog article - According to a newly released 2024 Stats Canada report, an alarming 1 in 4 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 have fallen victim to cyber-related hate crimes online (1). These incidents range from targeted harassment to threats of violence, that can leave lasting scars on our youth's mental health and self-esteem.
In today's onlife world, our teens are not only navigating the complexities of adolescence but also encountering a disturbing trend: hate propagated by ideologically motivated violent hate groups on social media platforms. As parents and caregivers, it's crucial for us to acknowledge and address this alarming reality to safeguard our children's well-being and foster a more inclusive onlife community (2).
The recent StatsCan study has unveiled the prevalence of hate speech online, particularly targeting impressionable youth. Shockingly, our own anecdotal survey of teens who follow us in our social media platforms, revealed that a staggering 66% of teens stated that they have encountered racist or hate-based speech in their social media feeds. This exposure not only normalizes harmful ideologies but also poses serious psychological and emotional risks to our children. This can lead to something called, “Casual Prejudice” – here’s a great definition of casual prejudice from our friends at Media Smarts Canada:
“When people say or do things that are negative towards a particular group, but are not aimed at a specific person. For example, someone uses a racist term in a comment, or share a meme of a person with a disability to make a joke”
What's even more concerning to us as online investigators - the deliberate exploitation of social media platforms by individuals and hate groups to disseminate their toxic messages. From misogyny and male toxicity (3) to xenophobia and white supremacy (4), these groups are actively recruiting and radicalizing our teenagers through online platforms. Our children can inadvertently become targets for indoctrination and recruitment into these harmful ideologies.
In the face of this growing threat, education emerges as our most potent weapon. By equipping our teens with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to recognize and reject hate, we empower them to become active agents of change in their onlife communities. They can be the change makers, but to do this they need to know how these hate groups are leveraging social media - not just to spread their message of hate, but also as a tool to recruit young people into their ranks.
As parents, here are some proactive steps you can take to combat and educate your child about online hate:
Foster an open and non-judgmental dialogue with your teenagers about their online experiences. Encourage them to share any instances of hate they encounter and provide support and guidance on how to address it.
Educate your teens about the tactics used by hate groups to manipulate, radicalize, and recruit youth online. Teach them to critically evaluate the content they consume and to question sources of information.
Establish clear guidelines for acceptable online behavior and consumption. Monitor your teen's social media activity and intervene if you notice any signs of exposure to hate or extremist content.
Encourage your teens to engage with diverse perspectives and cultures online. Emphasize the value of empathy, tolerance, and respect for others, regardless of differences.
Teach your teens how to report and block accounts that propagate hate or engage in online harassment. Encourage them to take a stand against intolerance and bigotry by actively combating it in their onlife world.
In today's onlife world, our teens face a concerning rise in hate propagated by individuals and violent extremist groups on social media. As parents, it's vital to acknowledge and address this reality to protect our children's well-being. The prevalence of hate speech online, poses significant risks, leading to "Casual Prejudice" and potential recruitment by hate groups - education is key to empowering our teens to recognize and reject hate online. By fostering open dialogue, promoting media literacy, setting clear boundaries, encouraging diversity, and teaching reporting methods, we equip our children to combat online hate and create a safer digital space for all.
By prioritizing education and fostering open communication, we can empower our teens to reject hate and build a more inclusive and compassionate onlife world. Let's work together to protect our children and create a safer digital landscape for future generations – this is something that we are dedicated to here at the White Hatter!
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
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