In today's hyper-connected world, children are more exposed than ever to extremist ideologies that can profoundly influence young minds. There has been an enormous uptick in groups ranging from white supremacists to religious extremists who are aggressively targeting children as young as 11 on platforms popular with teens. For example, a neo-Nazi organization recently ran a social media recruitment campaign using gaming imagery and memes that received 800,000 views from boys aged 12-15.

In this episode, Dr. Emily Bashaw, a clinical psychologist and expert on radicalization, discusses the alarming trend of extremist groups targeting teenagers on social media platforms.

She explains the concept of addictive ideologies and how vulnerable individuals can be influenced by propaganda and tribal beliefs. Dr. Bashaw emphasizes the importance of building resilience and critical thinking skills in teenagers to protect them from extremist influences. She also highlights the role of parents in fostering open communication and engaging in difficult conversations with their teens. 

The conversation concludes with a reminder to humanize others and promote acceptance while demanding personal growth.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Teenagers are vulnerable to extremist influences on social media platforms, and parents need to be proactive in safeguarding their children.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:03 Addictive Ideologies and Radicalization

04:07 The Influence of Social Media and Online Behavior

05:24 Impact on Teenagers

09:31 Signs of Targeting and Messages

10:42 Preventing Extremist Influences

13:48 Engaging in Difficult Conversations

15:05 Understanding Extremist Recruitment Tactics

18:36 Promoting Agency and Critical Thinking

20:45 Acceptance and Demanding More

25:49 Humanizing Others and Building Resilience

29:34 Engaging with Teens

31:46 Conclusion

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning in Agency When Politics Fail You.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.

Subscribe to the Podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.