Police and violence-prevention specialists are warning that extremist groups are targeting children and teenagers across the Prairies through online games and social platforms, with some cases involving plans for real-world attacks, CBC News reports.

Const. Andrea Lefort, a terrorism and extremism specialist with Winnipeg police, told CBC the manipulation includes coercion and extortion aimed at pushing young people to harm themselves or others. She expects the number of cases to grow.

The Alberta-based Organization for the Prevention of Violence has seen increasing referrals to its Evolve psychosocial intervention program, deputy executive director Michael King told CBC reporter Josh Crabb. The program handled two online-extremism cases in 2024, four in 2025 and 10 so far in 2026.

Those figures describe cases reaching one intervention program, rather than a Prairie-wide count of young people affected.

King identified Roblox, Minecraft, Discord and Telegram among the online spaces where groups approach children. He said some communities glorify mass-casualty attackers and encourage participants to imitate them.

Schools, families, courts and police can refer young people to Evolve. King said some referrals follow police intervention in suspected criminal activity, including discussions about school shootings or acquiring weapons. The organization operates independently of law enforcement and has caseworkers across the Prairies, including Winnipeg.

RCMP Supt. Matt Johnson, who leads the Northwest Region’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, told CBC that online extremism is consuming significant counterterrorism resources. Investigations cross international borders and involve different types of crime, complicating enforcement, he said.

The companies identified in the reporting described efforts to address the threat. Minecraft developer Mojang told CBC its approach includes detection, moderation, enforcement, reporting and parental controls. Discord said it has disrupted 764 and affiliated groups since 2021, removing thousands of servers and sharing information with authorities. Telegram said it removes similar groups and channels and works with authorities. CBC also noted Roblox has previously introduced protections for younger users.

Lefort urged parents and caregivers to watch for secrecy about online activity, withdrawal from family or friends, obsessive time online, unexplained injuries, distress linked to messages or games, and a sudden fascination with violent content. She said animal cruelty can also be a warning sign.

People concerned about a child can contact Winnipeg police or the RCMP, or make a report through cybertip.ca.

“I don’t think we can arrest our way out of this problem,” Lefort told CBC.

Sources