CANBERRA, Australia / RankWire.AI / – Australian police say a growing number of teenagers are being radicalised online, with some allegedly moving close to carrying out attacks. Of the 37 young people prosecuted for counterterrorism offences since 2020, 32 were charged in the past two years. The Australian Federal Police also said minors make up 40% of all active joint counterterrorism cases this year. Counterterrorism Commander Paula Hudson disclosed the figures in an interview with the ABC.
Hudson said the youth caseload had spiked recently and called the trend a serious concern for police. Her comments came after two teenagers in Darwin, a boy and a girl, were charged with terrorism-related offences in recent weeks. Police allege the pair planned a mass casualty attack. The AFP, Northern Territory Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation investigated the case jointly. Police said it should prompt parents and educators to focus on early intervention.
Commander Hudson said mainstream platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Discord and Roblox were drawing children into extremism at speed. According to research she cited, young people can be shown violent extremist material within 23 minutes of going online. AFP analysis of 55 cases involving 12- to 17-year-olds found all had been radicalised in whole or in part online. Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s began in December 2025.
Online pathways move faster than expected
Caseloads have continued to climb despite the ban, Hudson said, noting the rise had built over two and a half years. She described 2024 laws on violent extremist material as very, very helpful for police. The offences cover accessing or sharing such material online. Prosecutors do not have to prove that a suspect was planning a physical terrorist attack. Hudson said the laws had allowed police to step in much earlier in the radicalisation process.
Police often find that young suspects have gone well beyond online offending by the time officers intervene, Hudson said. Most cases involve allegations such as collecting documents, writing manifestos, choosing targets and buying survival kits. Some young people have mobilised towards planning violence. Hudson said the move from online exposure to real-world planning was happening much faster than expected. Many teenagers consume content that mixes Islamic extremism, neo-Nazism and nihilism without a single clear ideology.
Vulnerable youth lack protective factors
Hudson said radicalised youth commonly face unstable homes, problems at school, social isolation or challenges linked to neurodiversity. Most, but not all, lack the resilience that comes from parenting, school, sport and community groups. They also tend to spend extreme amounts of time online without supervision. Parents and teachers should watch for long hours online, hateful speech about a particular group and more fixated or emotional language. Spending less time with friends or family is another warning sign.
Hudson encouraged young people to talk to a person rather than an AI chatbot when they experience online harm. Parents are being urged to create online safety plans and seek early help through StepTogether. Immediate concerns can go to Crime Stoppers or the National Security Hotline. AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett has met technology executives this year to share police insights. Barrett has pressed for safety by design controls on algorithms to slow online radicalisation.