School Shootings and Online Extremism

SOURCE www.npr.org
Two recent school shootings in Madison, Wis., and Nashville, Tenn., are examples of 'nonideological' terrorism, influenced by online networks glorifying mass violence. The True Crime Community (TCC) and other online movements are linked to school shooting plots. Experts are concerned about the merging of TCC with darker online communities, leading to a shift in the profile of individuals mobilized to violence, including young Black men and women. The influence of online networks grooming and sexually exploiting minors, like 764, is also a growing concern. Law enforcement faces challenges in addressing these subcultures due to a lack of usable data and the complexity of identifying radicalization factors.

Key Points

  • School shootings in Madison and Nashville are examples of 'nonideological' terrorism
  • The True Crime Community (TCC) and other online movements are linked to school shooting plots
  • Experts are concerned about the merging of TCC with darker online communities
  • Law enforcement faces challenges in addressing online radicalization due to a lack of usable data
  • The influence of online networks grooming and sexually exploiting minors is a growing concern

Pros

  • Raising awareness about the influence of online networks on school shootings
  • Highlighting the need for a wider approach to address child sexual exploitation and terrorism in online communities

Cons

  • Lack of usable data to define markers of nonideological radicalization
  • Challenges in identifying and intercepting potential threats due to the complex nature of online radicalization