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Events such as the Christchurch terrorist attacks in March 2019 and the 2021 attack within an Auckland supermarket show us that Aotearoa New Zealand is not immune to violent extremism or terrorist attacks.

Over the past few years there has been an increase in groups promoting hateful rhetoric, conspiracy theories and extremist ideology and some of these groups actively prey on young people.

What is violent extremism?

Violent extremism refers to an individual or group who supports, justifies, threatens or uses violence with the aim of affecting government, religion or society. This violence is often targeted against groups who are seen as threatening the violent extremist's success or undermining their worldview.

For more information about extremism visit the Act Early website(external link)

Te Mana Whakaatu Classification Office(external link) have created a number of online resources included a report that provides more information about misogyny, online harassment and abuse and violent extremism.  

What is terrorist and violent extremist content?

Objectionable terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC) online refers to illegal material(external link) that promotes extreme views and will likely cause significant harm if viewed by the public. This includes content such as:

  • Websites made by terrorist or extremist organisations
  • Videos or livestream perpetrator-led footage of a terrorist attack
  • Manifestos and other materials produced by individuals or organisations that promote or encourage acts of terrorism and crime.

For more information about TVEC visit Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs(external link).

What is radicalisation?

Radicalisation refers to the process by which people develop a commitment to an extreme political, social, or religious ideology. A person may think that violence is justified to further their extreme beliefs. Act Early(external link) highlights some factors that can make someone vulnerable to radicalisation:

 

Online radicalisation

Online radicalisation is when a person develops extreme ideologies through online material on the internet such as images, videos and speeches that promote extreme ideologies, terrorism or violence.

Why do some people hold extremist views?

There is no single reason why a person develops extreme views. However, there are some risk factors that might make someone more vulnerable. Extremism is based on hatred towards certain groups within society and often stems from the individual feeling uncertain or insecure in their own life.

Extremist beliefs may also develop as the result of exposure to propaganda, often online. This is why it is important to be aware of what your child is consuming online. Extremist ideologies are often based on conspiracy theories and tend to oversimplify complex social issues.

For more information about why some people hold extremist views visit Act Early.(external link)