Recruiting teenagers on digital platforms: an emerging threat

A recent investigation revealed a strategy for recruiting adolescents on digital platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, and video games, as part of broader subversive operations.

Recruiters offer small amounts, between 100 and 1,000 dollars, for activities such as photographing military targets or monitoring critical infrastructure. This method, considered 'low-cost', exploits the emotional vulnerabilities of young people.

The phenomenon was initially observed in Ukraine, expanding into Europe, with examples of recruitment in Poland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. A notable case involves a Dutch teenager arrested for espionage, recruited via Telegram. European security services warn of the rapid increase in online recruitment of minors, considering it an emerging threat.

Parents are often vulnerable in identifying this phenomenon, as digital platforms are perceived as safe spaces, but they can be used for manipulation by hostile actors.