Europol has taken steps to crack down on content promoting violent far-right, far-left, and jihadist extremism on gaming platforms, targeting those who use online role-playing to spread “terrorist narratives.”
In a press release published on the 3rd of November, the European policing agency said that specialised units from 16 countries referred over 9,000 links promoting these ideologies, warning that the content can “contribute to radicalisation.”
“Within video game environments, these communities recreate the structures, narratives and symbols of terrorist organisations, as well as terrorist attacks,” Europol said.
“Activities can include role-playing as members of terrorist groups and recreating events involving them.”
The agency warned that the spread of this propaganda is being used to recruit young people and minors into illicit groups.
“These activities can develop into coordinated efforts to produce and disseminate propaganda and recruit new members and followers, including young people and minors,” Europol continued.
“By embedding terrorist or violent extremist ideologies in interactive gaming experiences, these communities contribute to radicalisation.”
The policing body added that efforts to identify and remove such material are an essential part of disrupting the spread of extremist ideology online.
“Identifying and referring such content is crucial in the efforts to disrupt the spread of terrorist and violent extremist propaganda and prevent its use for recruitment and implementation of violent acts,” the organisation noted.
The operation was coordinated by the European Union Internet Referral Unit alongside authorities in Spain, and saw illicit material flagged across 47 social media and gaming platforms.
It builds upon a previous referral action day focused on the same phenomenon in 2025, and forms part of an ongoing programme to combat different forms of terrorist propaganda across the internet.