'The Com': Europol warns of online network grooming children into violence and sexual abuse

Europol and police forces including An Garda Síochána are investigating The Com, an online network encouraging juveniles to inflict violence on themselves or others. Picture: iStock

European police are alarmed at the rise of an online network, mainly composed of children, which encourages and coerces juveniles to inflict extreme violence on themselves or other people.

Known as ‘The Com’, meaning community, this sprawling network is posing an “extremely serious threat” to children and society Europol said.

Gardaí are alert to these groups across various sections — from units investigating sexual violence, cybercrime, and national security.

Ireland is one of 22 EU countries involved in a Europol project, along with the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and other countries, targeting the problem.

In a report, the EU police agency said The Com is engaged in child sexual exploitation, cyberattacks, extortion, assault, rape, murder, and violent extremism.

'Extremely dangerous'

“The network is extremely dangerous and combatting it is a national priority in several member states and third countries,” according to the Europol report. “These networks are largely composed of children, aged between eight and 17. 

“At the core of their activities lays manipulation and violence, which are a constant feature.”

Europol said group goals include “personal gain, advancement of ideologies, or ultimately the destabilisation of society”.

The agency, whose Project Compass targets these groups, said: “These networks specifically target vulnerable members of society to carry out and participate in acts of violence, including self-harm, harm to others, harm to animals, and the production of child sexual exploitation material.”

An Garda Síochána  

The Irish Examiner understands different Garda sections are investigating this area: 

• The Special Detective Unit (national security); 
• The Garda National Protective Services Bureau (child sexual violence); 
• The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (use of online technology to enable violence and cybercrime).

One Garda source said a nasty feature of this trend is the “sadistic enticement” element to it, but stressed that gardaí were “active” in investigating it.

'It's kid-on-kid' 

Mick Moran, chief executive of Irish Internet Hotline, said: “The most frightening aspect of it is that it’s kid-on-kid and so parents need to be aware of the fact that their son or daughter can be an offender as well as a victim.”

Fiona Jennings, head of policy and public affairs at the ISPCC, said: “The emergence of so-called ‘com groups’ is a particular ominous threat. 

"These online groups groom and manipulate children, recruiting them with only one aim: To cause real-world devastation.

“In ISPCC and from our fellow helpline providers across the EU, we have heard of some of the contents of these groups and the activities members are coerced into doing, and they are too horrific to relay publicly.”

Children might not even know they are victims, she said.  

“This is particularly true where the images of their abuse have been reused to generate more images using AI technologies.

'We must talk to our children'

“And for those that are caught up in these groups, they are terrified to do anything because of the level of violence that underpins them.”

Ms Jennings advised parents: 

We must make a concerted effort to talk to our children, remind them they can come to us with any problem, and reassure them it is not their fault. 

Europol said offenders can target victims on gaming platforms popular among children and on channels used by youth to “discuss mental health and physical difficulties”.

A study, published last January, by industry intelligence group Resolver, said many juveniles targeted have suffered adverse childhood experiences or perceive themselves as social excluded or have suffered extreme bullying.

It said groups often focused on sadism, terrorism, or extorting money. The terror groups typically promote far-right ideologies, including “white supremacy and occult neo-Nazism”.

• ISPCC Childline freephone 1800 666666 or Childline.ie; 

• Irish Internet Hotline [phone] or hotline.ie. 

• And if you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, click here for a list of support services.

• Cormac O’Keeffe, Security Correspondent