What threat does online extremism pose to young people?
Meeting details
The Home Affairs Committee holds the first session of its inquiry into new forms of extremism when it takes evidence from witnesses including the Commissioner for Countering Extremism, Robin Simcox, and the Interim Independent Prevent Commissioner, Lord Anderson.
The session will examine new and emerging forms of extremism in the UK, with a particular focus on young people and online spaces. It will also examine if current mechanisms for combatting extremism – including Prevent – are adequate to identify and address the new forms it can take.
There are fears that young people are increasingly being drawn into extremism. The 2024 MI5 annual threat update highlighted that 13% of people being investigated for terrorism are under 18, a threefold increase in three years. 32 people under the age of 18 were arrested for terrorism offences in 2024.
Online spaces and the growth of AI have also opened up new frontiers for extremism to flourish in. The National Crime Agency has highlighted the growth of ‘com networks’ which enable offenders to collaborate and compete to cause harm online and offline.