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By Tanner Smith
Online safety

RCMP calling on parents to combat rising “online violent extremism”

Jun 10, 2026 | 4:37 PM

The RCMP’s Federal Policing Northwest Region are asking parents to be more vigilant with their children’s online behaviour, following a rise in violent online groups across the country.

The Northwest Region’s (NWR) Superintendent, Officer Matt Johnson, says “gone are the days when risk existed only in one physical location or solely in the ‘real world.’ Today, the threat extends just as dangerously into cyberspace, where online activity can rapidly spill into real-world harm.”

Mounties say, besides recent events in Tumbler Ridge and Sexsmith, they are seeing an increase in behaviour related to “ideologically motivated violent extremism,” in one case arresting a youth for developing a Roblox game where you roleplay as a school shooter.

RCMP note that “using Discord, the youth received guidance from an online user to create these game modes,” and they were in possession of “materials promoting hateful rhetoric and documentation detailing a desire to carry out a mass casualty event.”

A 19.5-month probation was then issued to the Youth in March.

NWR says since last year, RCMP also charged two Saskatchewan youths with uttering threats, while four Alberta youths have been charged with terrorism related offences; in one case, subjecting a youth to “a terrorism peace bond after investigators feared the youth would commit offences relating to the 764 violent online network.”

Moving forward, NWR is now asking parents and guardians to look for signs of online violence, including antisocial behaviour and an increased interest in firearms and other weapons:

  • They are spending more time on the internet, unsupervised or alone in their room;
  • They are on mobile apps like Discord, Telegram or other encrypted communications platforms for which you have no visibility as a parent;
  • They are demonstrating an interest or affinity to extreme messaging online, including conspiracy theories, anti-government rhetoric, or sympathy/support towards extreme messaging or online propaganda; and,
  • They have a new online “friend” or network they seem infatuated with and/or scared of.

“As both a police officer and a parent, I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to learn from the programs available in your community, stay engaged in your children’s lives, and trust your instincts by reporting anything that doesn’t feel right. Early conversations and timely reports can make all the difference in protecting our children and communities,” added Superintendent Johnson.

More information and “a more exhaustive list of warning signs,” can be found on the RCMP website.

by Tanner Smith