From Mid-laner to Terrorist: The Investigative Committee of Russia Names Gaming Chats as a Place for Recruiting Teenagers into Criminal Activity
According to Alexander Bastrykin, criminals take advantage of the fact that teenagers feel relaxed in a gaming environment.
Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, stated that gaming platforms and their built-in chats are increasingly becoming a tool for finding and recruiting young people to commit terrorist acts and sabotage. He spoke about this in an interview with TASS on the eve of the Day of the Investigator.
According to the head of the Investigative Committee, criminals take advantage of the fact that teenagers feel comfortable and safe in gaming communities. Recruitment, as a rule, begins with simple and seemingly harmless assignments — for example, a request to take a photo, transmit information, or complete a small task supposedly for gaming purposes.
Bastrykin noted that criminals then gradually involve teenagers in illegal activities, using psychological pressure. After the first completed assignment, they may resort to blackmail, threats against loved ones, or, conversely, promise rewards and various in-game privileges. According to him, the main goal of recruiters is to convince the minor that their actions will not have consequences, and to relieve them of a sense of moral responsibility.
And so, step by step, the line between a virtual quest and a real crime is blurred. Then follow blackmail and intimidation: threats of violence against loved ones or, conversely, promises of "golden mountains" and an increase in in-game status. The key point of the recruiter's task is to relieve the teenager of moral responsibility. They create the illusion of impunity and the significance of the actions offered to them.
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