Gaming has become much more than entertainment. For many young people, online games are important social spaces where identities are shaped and social issues are negotiated. This talk explores the opportunities gaming can offer while also showing how extremist groups use these spaces to recruit, connect, and spread influence. It highlights current risks and possible pathways to radicalization, while also presenting strategies that strengthen the positive potential of gaming communities and effectively counter extremist influence.

The discussion is bilingual in German and English.

Lars Wiegold conducts research on digital environments, focusing on social media, gaming, radicalization processes, and anti-democratic actors. As part of the RadiGaMe project at PRIF, he investigated radicalization and extremist online communities on gaming-related platforms.

Jan Schneider conducts research at the DIPF on topics including how learning can become more playful, digital, and immersive. As part of the EduTec research group, he collaborates with a multinational, interdisciplinary team dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence into educational sciences and related disciplines such as psychology, pedagogy, and didactics.