Virtual crime syndicates’ pose risk to children, experts warn

ISTANBUL

Experts are sounding the alarm over the rising threat of "virtual crime syndicates" involved in a range of illicit activities, such as fraud, femicide, animal cruelty, harassment and blackmail, on online platforms, urging families to take stronger measures to protect their children.

These criminal organizations operating through chat groups on online platforms mostly consist of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 and also target other young individuals.

”If a kid wanted to go out at night, we would object to the idea. However, nowadays children lock themselves in their rooms and experience more evil in their own houses than they would encounter outside,” psychotherapist Gökhan Ergür said.

These criminal groups, which have become increasingly widespread, capture pictures and videos of young individuals to use for blackmail, and they occasionally employ unlawful methods to obtain personal information.

Ergür noted that children involved in these malicious crimes often are on bad terms with their families and lack a social circle.

“They have no hope for the future. Thus, they strive for prestige and power,” he pointed out, noting that such online chat groups form a space for them to exercise authority.

In an effort to safeguard children, Ergür advised parents to talk to their kids about the time they spend online, emphasizing the importance of avoiding a judgmental tone.

He further noted that it is also crucial for parents to learn the fundamentals of the digital world, as well as speak with school counselors or seek professional assistance.

Echoing Ergür’s remarks on children’s seeking power and prestige, Associate Professor Ayhan Erbay noted that the tendency to commit crime is at its highest between the ages of 15 and 18.

Young people at these ages view the middle-class aspirations that may be attained by following social norms as insufficient, which is the root cause of their thirst for power, according to Erbay.