COMMUNITIES BUILT AROUND SHARED GRIEVANCES
For some young people, experts say the attraction to such online communities may have less to do with ideology and more about connecting with others who share their grievances and experiences.
“Back when violence was more traditional, we saw many cases where the motivation was purely religious. But I see a shift now,” said Siti Darojatul Aliyah, executive director of the Society Against Radicalism and Violent Extremism.
“People are looking for others and asking, ‘Who has been through the same things as me?’ They find one another in these communities and reinforce each other.”
But officials say prevention must also begin at home, with parents taking a more active role in their children’s lives – particularly online.
“From the cases we have handled, we have learned that many factors can lead children to become exposed to extremist ideologies,” said Titi Eko Rahayu, deputy for special child protection at the Indonesian Women Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry.
“It is not only about them going through a phase of searching for their identity, but also about inadequate parenting, where parents are unable to provide guidance when their children interact online,” she added.
“It turns out that this has the greatest influence.”
Read the full article here
