Young girls are being hunted by men online and being coerced to carry out acts of violence on themselves, their family members and pets.
According to the Australian Federal Police, it’s a new twisted form of gamification that’s sparked in online networks, that’s not motivated by sex or money, simply amusement and popularity.
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The AFP says it’s announced a new taskforce to crackdown on the behaviour, as well as a broader goal of reducing online harm that’s having real life effects in Australia and abroad.
It also says it’s becoming increasingly concerned about HOW social media and other online domains are being used to pull young people into extremism, terrorism and other violent trends.
…and while those involved don’t necessarily subscribe to one ideology, authorities are noticing more violence, extremism, sadism, Nazism, Satanism and nihilism.
The AFP’s dubbed them ‘crimefluencers’ motived by hurting others, and creating anarchy, with most of their targets teenage girls or pre-teens.
So far around 59 people, both international and domestic, have been found to be taking part in related online crime networks.
Of those that were Australian, all were aged between 17 and 20 years old, and overall police say those involved are overwhelmingly Western, English speaking young men and boys.