Extremist Ideas Normalized Online, Warns Security Agency

A Dutch national security agency is warning that the normalization of right-wing extremist ideas online presents a growing threat to social cohesion and democracy.

Why it matters: This shift from fringe groups to mainstream discourse makes extremist ideologies more accessible, particularly to young people, and increases the risk of real-world violence.

Driving the news: The Netherlands' National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) highlighted the trend in its latest Terrorism Threat Assessment report, published Tuesday.

How it works: The normalization follows a pattern, according to the NCTV report.

• Conspiracy theories, like the "great replacement" theory, gain massive reach online.
• Sanitized language, such as using "remigration" to mean mass deportation, is adopted to make the ideas sound less extreme.
• Mainstream figures, including politicians, then use this language, giving extremists a sense of validation and success.

The big picture: The primary drivers of radicalization are no longer just traditional terrorist organizations, but a decentralized ecosystem of online influencers and content creators.

This makes the threat harder to track and allows young people to encounter extremist content without actively searching for it, experts warn.

What's next: Experts are calling for a two-pronged approach to counter the trend.

• Sharper oversight, including better content moderation by social media platforms and potential government removal orders for terrorist material.
• Increased resilience, by focusing on teaching critical thinking skills to help young people identify and resist extremist narratives online.