Teens and Social Media
Adolescence is a significant period of development where teens are going through physical, emotional, cognitive, and social changes. Forming social connections and developing relationships are a crucial part of identity formation and building a sense of belonging. This fosters social and emotional well-being. But, if identity formation is strongly shaped by interactions and social bonds, what happens if teens aren’t getting these needs met at school or through other community connections? They seek it elsewhere, like the internet.
And while the internet may be an amazing place for people to express themselves, learn, and connect with others, it can also be a place where young, impressionable people become exposed to harmful rhetoric and extremist ideologies.
During adolescence, teens start questioning and exploring values, ideas, and identity. In modern times, teens often turn to technology for this exploration. However, social media, podcasts, and online gaming platforms can contain radicalized content with recruiters targeting vulnerable young teens.
Recruiters For These Radical Groups Employ Strategies That Mirror Grooming By Child Predators
Recruiters for radical groups use strategies similar to child predators, employing tactics such as:
- Psychological manipulation
- Gradual exposure and desensitization
- Isolation
These methods are used to draw vulnerable teens into harmful and dangerous relationships and communities.
Groomers often test the waters with their victims. They test boundaries to gauge how far their victim will allow them to go. They might start with sexualized jokes or small “innocent” touches. Similarly, radical recruiters may use coded language, dog whistles, and slurs in comment sections, chats and gaming spaces tosee how teens will react. If teens laugh or don’t immediately shut it down, like groomers, recruiters will escalate. Then, through constant exposure and repetition of racist, homophobic/transphobic, xenophobic, and misogynistic jokes, memes or conspiracy theories, even the most shocking ideas can start to feel normal.
Additionally, social media can also dramatically accelerate the radicalization process. Social media algorithms are designed to prioritize engagement. This can be systematically gamed by recruiters who place radical content where it will be amplified by the algorithm to funnel teens into extremist echo chambers. The journey typically starts innocuously: a teen stumbles across content that seems harmless but carries subtle bias. Comment threads then nudge them toward more radical material. As they engage, algorithms interpret this as interest and begin recommending increasingly more extreme viewpoints. Within a short time, the teen can become fully immersed in extremist ideologies, reaching the end of the radicalization pipeline.
Radicalization Exploits The Teenage Desire For Connection
Radicalization exploits the teenage desire for connection creating a dangerous “us” (radicalized group) vs “them” (the outsiders) narrative, where their group is seen as superior and righteous, and the outsiders are deviant and wrong. Joining such a group offers teens social capital and feelings of superiority, versus any prior feelings of inferiority and loneliness. Groomers use this same strategy framing their relationship as unique and misunderstood by others. They both encourage isolation from these outsiders and elevate their radicalized group for truly “getting” the teen. 
Both groomers and recruiters prey on vulnerability and loneliness and feed off the desires to connect. This means that teenagers that are depressed, anxious, feel misunderstood and isolated are at a greater risk of being exploited. Knowing these risks can help you talk to your teens about online radicalization. If we look at radicalization through the mental health lens, we can reduce shame. Feelings cloud our judgment and make certain messaging and content seem more alluring. Invite your teen to do something about these feelings through healthier coping strategies like journaling, therapy or physical movement.
If disconnection is what brought them down this rabbit hole in the first place, acknowledge that their need for connection and belonging is normal. Validate the feelings that this group provides and collaborate to gently explore alternative healthier options for them to find connection. If they felt that this group provided them with a voice, find other outlets for their voice to be heard, supported and validated.
Start From A Place Of Curiosity
Similarly to what I tell parents about talking to their teens about relationships, start from a place of curiosity. If your teen feels judged or shamed, they will withdraw. If you have noticed your teen consuming extremist or radical content, try to ask them open-ended questions and gain insight on their perspective before offering your own. Though your immediate response may be shutting it down, this will only push them further away and encourage disconnection– something these groups rely on to keep teens engaged. Even if your teen is not immediately open to these discussions, continue the conversation nonconfrontationally, as consistency builds trust and safety over time.
Knowledge is power, knowledge is protection. By teaching teens what to look out for, we can help prevent them from entering the pipeline. Teach them about digital literacy and how to spot these manipulation tactics. Have discussions about how echo chambers, jokes, memes and algorithms slowly make even the most extreme ideas seem normal over time. Talk about credible, reputable sources and the importance of fact checking to combat misinformation.
If your teen is showing signs of isolation, withdrawal, hostility, or obsession with radicalized content, consider seeking professional support. Individual therapy can help dive into the deeper need fueling the exploration into these groups. Family therapy can help foster communication and resilience to work through it.
Protecting children from radicalization
Online radicalization can threaten your teen’s wellbeing and family relationships, but our team of caring therapists can help. Brave Minds Psychological Services is here to support your teen in building healthy connections while developing critical thinking skills to navigate the digital world safely. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
- Reach out for a free 20-minute consultation.
- Meet with a caring therapist from our team
- Start helping your teen build resilience against online manipulation!
Counseling for Teens in Scotch Plains, NJ
Supporting families through online radicalization concerns is not the only service we offer at Brave Minds Psychological Services. Our team is happy to offer comprehensive support for families navigating the complex digital landscape and its impact on adolescent development. When teens or children have been exposed to extremist content or recruitment tactics, we provide specialized support for identity exploration in healthy environments. We understand that vulnerable teens seeking connection and belonging need alternative pathways to find their voice and community, which is why we offer family therapy to strengthen communication and build resilience, parent counseling to help families recognize warning signs and respond effectively, and trauma therapy for those who have experienced online exploitation or grooming. We provide online therapy across New Jersey, making our services accessible to families throughout the state. Feel free to learn more about the therapy modalities our team uses like EMDR for processing traumatic online experiences and CBT for developing critical thinking skills and healthy coping strategies, or visit our blog to learn more today. Knowledge is power, and knowledge is protection.