The rise of individuals who rapidly escalate from viewing graphic content such as torture, mutilation, and beheading videos to committing murder suggests a potential link between extreme online violence and real-life violence, according to experts. Criminal justice specialists are advocating for a novel approach, inspired by counter-terrorism strategies, to identify and address a new type of murderer who lacks prior criminal records. These individuals, like Nicholas Prosper who killed his family and planned a school massacre, represent a shift in the patterns of violent behavior.
Jonathan Hall, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, identifies a “new threat cohort” that includes both terrorists radicalized online and individuals who have descended into an “extreme and dark world” through their internet use. Hall points out that these individuals share characteristics such as isolation, being predominantly male, extensive internet use, and a significant proportion having neurodivergence.
Hall is preparing a report for the Home Office to explore whether the planning of mass-casualty attacks should be classified as terrorism. While he opposes expanding the definition of terrorism, he believes there are lessons to be learned from managing one group that could be applied to the other.
David Wilson, an emeritus professor of criminology, notes that the link between online violence and real-life violence is an “emerging field” of research. Unlike traditional media, social media is more immersive, consumed in solitude, and algorithms often lead users to increasingly extreme content. Wilson observes a trend of “0 to 100” killers, who do not follow the usual gradual escalation of offending but move directly to murder. This is linked to “mixed ideology” motivations, including “incel” culture, “alt-right” affiliations, and mass-killing manifestos.
Greg Stewart, a criminal lawyer, suggests that the traditional progression to serious offenses has been disrupted, and there is an overlap between autism, obsessive behaviors, and online radicalization. He recommends a preventative approach similar to “Prevent” strategies, where educators can identify “thinking patterns and views” indicative of potential radicalization.
Julia Davidson, a professor of criminal justice and cybercrime, emphasizes the substantial evidence on young people’s exposure to violent content, which has become a public health concern, although the scientific link to offline violence is complex. She links this to the pressures among young people to engage with violent content as a test of belonging, exacerbated by online influencers.
Almudena Lara, Ofcom’s policy director for child safety, acknowledges that children face a “perfect storm” of violent and abusive content online, which is often pushed to them in an almost unavoidable manner. Ofcom seeks to balance free speech with child safety by requiring platforms not to actively present violent content to children.
Prof. Lorna Woods, a legal adviser to the Online Safety Act Network, expresses concern that voluntary self-regulation by social media platforms is insufficient, especially in reliance on content removals. She advocates for a safety-by-design approach to address the problem more effectively.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/01/extreme-online-violence-internet-links-experts
