Senior British police officials have issued an urgent warning that technology and online platforms are increasingly being weaponized by hostile nations, online extremists, and far-right groups to threaten the United Kingdom. Counterterrorism leaders describe a “continual battle” happening directly in the nation’s digital spaces, warning that law enforcement cannot tackle the rapidly escalating crisis without direct intervention from major tech companies.
While Islamic extremism remains the primary threat to the UK, officials note that the dangers posed by hostile states and the extreme far-right have grown significantly over the last five years. In fact, the threat level across the country was elevated from “substantial” to “severe” earlier this spring, fueled in part by a surge in online radicalization and state-sponsored sabotage.
A Surge in State-Backed Plots
Counterterrorism police highlighted a worrying rise in proxy operations orchestrated by foreign governments on British soil, calling it their most rapidly escalating mission. Authorities pointed to several high-profile incidents as evidence of this growing danger:
- Iran: In 2025 alone, police tracked more than 20 Iranian-backed plots involving serious crimes, kidnappings, and assassinations in the UK. This includes the recent prison sentences handed to two men for the stabbing of a Persian-language television journalist.
- Russia: Moscow is accused of running a constant stream of surveillance operations to track its perceived enemies, infiltrate daily life, and recruit individuals to spread its narratives. Operating through apps like Telegram, Russian groups have successfully recruited operatives to commit arson and vandalism—including a fire at a London warehouse storing communication equipment bound for Ukraine.
- China: In May, convictions were secured against a UK border official and a former Hong Kong police officer for spying on behalf of Beijing.
Officials warned that anyone can be targeted online, noting that teenagers as young as 15 have been arrested for participating in these state-sponsored proxy plots.
The Rise of Far-Right Extremism and “Sadistic” Groups
The internet has also become a breeding ground for an increasingly toxic mix of racism, misogyny, and extreme homophobia. Police warn that because extreme views are rarely challenged online, previously unacceptable mindsets are leaking into the physical world. One extreme example involved an 18-year-old woman who was recently sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison after launching a random ax attack fueled by a far-right mindset.
Children Target of Aggressive Online Radicalization
Young people are being pulled into extremism at an alarming rate. Tech platforms are being used to push highly engineered content that blends extremist propaganda with gaming footage, historical imagery, and music specifically designed to hook children.
In some of the most disturbing cases, police have uncovered “sadistic online groups” where users compete against one another to inflict harm both online and offline. These challenges encourage cyberattacks, real-world violence, and terrorism, often asking young people to recreate horrific video game attacks in real life.
“The tipping point is very swift and steep,” warned Vicki Evans, a senior national coordinator for counterterrorism. “This risk is in our neighborhoods, in our online spaces and in our workplaces.”
While the government plans to ban social media for children under 16, law enforcement insists that legislation alone isn’t enough. With algorithms designed to aggressively push harmful, violent content to vulnerable users, police maintain that technology firms must take greater responsibility for policing their own platforms before the problem grows entirely out of hand.
