Digital radicalization of youth

Abstract

This article assesses to what extent it can be argued that the Internet has an influence on the radicalization of youth. Although it is commonly assumed that the Internet facilitates exposure to different perspectives, it is also thought to produce homogeneous "echo rooms" in which participants sharing a particular political or civic viewpoint have a greater chance of becoming radicalized. Because participants in homogeneous groups share similar perspectives, opposing views are not expressed and the available arguments are one-sided. On the other hand, the Internet is thought to offer opportunities for adolescents to experiment with identities, which is considered to be important for achieving a mature identity. It is however questionable to what extent the Internet enables youth to experimentally embrace different views, when considering the existence of "echo rooms". This article also discusses the role of parents in this process. Youth are vulnerable, but also have greater experience with the Internet, which makes it difficult for parents to regulate their children's online behavior. This review emphasizes the need to promote digital literacy among youth, in order to both protect them, and to enable them to benefit from the Internet.