Violent online groups target kids to get them to harm themselves, others

I don't think we have anything that's connected to the online world. Kelsey Cramwolke has strict rules about how her sons play video games. We don't play Roblox but my kids do are able to play Minecraft. We have a Nintendo Switch and they play on the Switch in the living room on the living room TV with friends offline. She's heard the warnings from police about the spike in children and teens targeted online. Constable Andrea Laforte says extremist networks are recruiting kids. To commit violence offline. That is the scariest part, is all of the online spaces. That is the new predator playground. Superintendent Matt Johnson, with the RCMP's Counterterrorism Unit, says the risks are extreme. Up to and including the... You know, kind of the end game of either committing a mass casualty attack and or coercing the victim into suicide. Some of the groups are part of a virtual network known as the community or the com. One called 764 has been listed by Canada as a terrorist entity. Another focuses on a fascination with school shootings. Michael King with the Alberta-based Organization for the Prevention of Violence says it's called the true crime community. And these are a collection of communities that really kind of glorify and value some of the worst types of behavior possible. Part of King's organization does psychological interventions through a program called Evolve. Caseworkers help kids who've been exploited. Referrals come from schools, police, families, and the courts. There is one caseworker here in Winnipeg. King says the number of requests that worker is getting to help turn kids away from violent online extremism is rising. Across the Prairies Evolve's first two online extremism cases came in 2024, both involving 764. In 2025, four teens were referred for involvement with 764 and another known terrorist group called MKY. So far this year, it has taken on 10 cases for youth involved in 764, And the true crime community. I am expecting these cases to continue to increase. Experts say drastic changes in behavior, kids staying isolated, spending excessive amounts of time online, and getting major anxiety when they can't be online are among the warning signs. My app age rating is set to 9+, but Battle Bus is... Cram Wolke knows Minecraft, Roblox, and social media platforms have taken steps, including limiting communication with younger users to crack down on these networks. Unfortunately, they tend to be really reactive. So things are happening, kids are being taken advantage of and exploited. She'll keep her kids offline if or until she's confident they can game safely within these spaces. Josh Crabb, CBC News, Winnipeg.