Terror groups are targeting youth. What Canadian parents can look for - BERITAJA

After a Quebec man was charged pinch terrorism-related offences related to a transnational group that promotes violent extremism and targets younker online, experts opportunity it’s a reminder the net is “not a safe place” for Canada’s children and teenagers.

The 26-year-old man from the Quebec City area was arrested aft an investigation into alleged online activity linked to the extremist 764 Network. The group was listed by Canada arsenic a violent entity successful December 2025.

The investigation alleges the contented was distributed online pinch the purpose of radicalizing individuals, believed to beryllium chiefly teenagers.

“We person to salary really adjacent attraction to what our kids are doing online. Do they person unfettered entree to the full net astatine 11 years old? The net is not a safe place, and truthful we request to salary attraction to that,” said Luc Cousineau, a module personnel astatine Dalhousie University who studies far-right extremism and the online community.

According to the RCMP, the 764 web targets children and teens done online gaming platforms, societal media and mobile apps, including Discord, Telegram, Roblox and Minecraft.

Cousineau told BERITAJA the modulation from the emblematic net platforms to different spaces has been an improvement for groups for illustration 764.

“So not conscionable connected the benignant of classical internet, but successful different spaces arsenic well, truthful gaming spaces, for example, and different benignant of chat supplier spaces to either enlistee to their organizations aliases to find victims,” Cousineau, who was the laminitis of the Canadian Institute connected Far-Right Studies, said. “They’re really actively utilizing a wide assortment of platforms to enlistee others into their organization spaces but besides to find victims.”

Warning signs to watch for

Authorities allege the 764 Network seeks to manipulate and enlistee younker by spreading propaganda and encouraging convulsive acts some online and offline.

The RCMP has urged parents to stay vigilant about their children’s online activity and to study immoderate suspicious behaviour to authorities.

Authorities opportunity this could see teens utilizing mobile apps specified arsenic Discord, Telegram aliases different encrypted platforms that forestall parental visibility. Other signs see dropping grades successful school, being excessively moody and connected edge, aliases becoming much isolated.

“If you person a kid successful your life who’s ever been very unfastened about what they’re doing online and talking about it a batch and past they extremity talking about it a lot, this is really a large informing sign,” Cousineau said.

In a notice about convulsive groups exploiting children, the RCMP besides said to watch for younker covering their tegument successful different ways, aliases going done much bandages aliases showing grounds of cuts aliases carvings connected their skin.

Groups for illustration 764 target about susceptible youth

But while parents and teachers should support an oculus connected youth, constabulary opportunity immoderate are besides committing the crimes.

New Brunswick RCMP successful February confirmed location were 2 abstracted cases of younker placed nether coercion bid bonds. The first was for the alleged facilitation of violent activity, the 2nd for engagement successful activities arsenic portion of the 764 Network.

A 16-year-old successful Nova Scotia facing respective kid pornography-related and inciting hatred charges was besides accused of being a personnel of 764 Network, constabulary said pursuing the teen’s October 2025 arrest.  In January, 4 retired of the 5 charges were withdrawn.

“Kids themselves participate successful that and, of course, it’s difficult for america because it intends they are successful a victim-aggressor position, very young, very susceptible and still aggressing their peers,” said Dr. Cécile Rousseau, a kid scientist who besides studies convulsive radicalization.

Rousseau told BERITAJA groups for illustration the 764 Network often target younker and teenagers who are successful susceptible states, dealing pinch issues for illustration depression, isolation and eating disorders.

She said while proposal to parents is to show their children and announcement changes successful behaviour, it’s not ever easy.

“They [extremist groups] thatch young kids not to talk to adults,” she said. “They thatch young kids, they show them, do not speak pinch the psychologist, do not speak pinch your teacher, do not speak pinch your parents … So they’re actively, conscionable for illustration successful jail, the rule of Omerta, truthful don’t talk because this will beryllium held against you.”

Getting younker to disclose what’s happening correct distant would beryllium difficult, but Rousseau said parents and teachers should beryllium diligent and create a safe space, but to besides activity thief if needed.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection said it’s why the Winnipeg-based statement exists, to thief some children and parents erstwhile facing difficult circumstances.

“These cases go very distressing and I deliberation this is where, successful galore circumstances, I deliberation parents don’t cognize wherever to move aliases they’re not judge what to do if they person an inkling that something’s going connected for their kids,” said Lindsay Lobb, the head of operations for support services.

“Come to us, we are present to person these conversations pinch parents. We’re present to talk it done pinch you to travel up pinch a scheme that’s going to beryllium correct for your family to support your kids safe.”

—with files from BERITAJA’ Rebecca Lau and Alessia Simona Maratta