Rehabilitation professionals warn of dangers of online platforms in radicalising youth

With online platforms continuing to be fertile ground for youth self-radicalisation, experts have called for a whole-of-society approach to raising awareness of the problem.

- Samuel Devaraj

This means roping in parents, teachers, peers, as well as the platforms themselves to strengthen safeguards and identify those at risk before they can harm themselves or others, said those who work with detainees here.

The use of digital platforms such as social media, online games and video-sharing sites has been a common thread among recent radicalisation cases in Singapore.

All eight Singaporeans dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) between July 2024 and June 2025 were self-radicalised by extremist materials they encountered online, the Internal Security Department said in its latest annual report on terrorism.

Dr Muhammad Mubarak Habib Mohamed, a religious teacher who counsels young detainees, noted the role of some gaming platforms in amplifying their users’ political and ideological stances in a “free space of so-called creativity”.

“Games that allow for the use of violent behaviour provide a signal to users that this kind of behaviour is okay, especially for youth who are seeking a sense of identity,” said Dr Mubarak, who is a secretariat member of the Religious Rehabilitation Group.

In January, the authorities said they had issued a restriction order (RO) to a 14-year-old who had posted pro-ISIS content online, including footage from his gameplay on Roblox and Gorebox.

Roblox and Gorebox are sandbox games that let their users generate virtual worlds and avatars, with the latter game also known for its graphic depictions of violence.