[SEAN-CSO Webinar] Deep Dive on Spreading Hate Speech and Radicalisation Through Games (Roblox/PUBG case)

Southeast Asia’s digital transformation is moving at an incredible pace. As of 2022, over 326 million people across the region are connected to the internet. This massive connectivity creates immense economic and social opportunities. It allows for broader access to information and empowers new forms of civic engagement.

However, this rapid growth also presents serious challenges. The same platforms that connect us also accelerate the spread of online hate speech and violent extremism. The widespread use of smartphones, combined with the anonymity of social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps, has created fertile ground for harmful content. This content directly threatens social harmony and national security.

While many counter-extremism efforts focus on traditional social media like Facebook or Twitter, a new front has emerged. This new front is highly immersive, deeply social, and targets a younger demographic: online gaming.

The New Frontier: Gaming Platforms

Extremist groups are strategic. They go where their target audience is. Millions of people, particularly youth, spend hours every day in virtual worlds. Platforms like Roblox and PUBG are not just games. They are complex social ecosystems where users communicate, collaborate, and build identities.

Extremists exploit these environments. They use in-game chats, forums, and user-created content to spread propaganda, identify vulnerable individuals, and recruit new members. The immersive nature of these games can blur the lines between fantasy and reality. This makes players more susceptible to manipulative narratives.

This webinar will focus specifically on two online games platforms: Roblox or PUBG.

Spotlight on Roblox/PUBG

Roblox is a global platform where millions of users, many of them children, create and play games together. Its strength is its user-generated content model. Anyone can build a virtual “experience” and share it with the world.

This strength is also a critical vulnerability. Extremists exploit this freedom. They create virtual spaces that normalize or even glorify violence and extremist ideology. Users might stumble upon games that simulate terrorist attacks or promote white supremacist symbols. These harmful messages are often hidden within the game’s design, making them difficult for moderators to find and remove. The platform’s young audience makes this threat particularly urgent.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and similar multiplayer shooters present a different kind of risk. The danger here lies less in the content and more in the communication tools. These games are built on team-based, high-adrenaline competition.

Players rely heavily on voice chat and text chat to coordinate with their teammates. Extremist recruiters join these games. They use the intense, tribal atmosphere to build rapport and trust. They can identify players who seem isolated, angry, or disillusioned. They use the game’s social features to start conversations, often moving to more private, encrypted channels to continue the radicalization process. The “toxic gamer culture” often seen in such games can provide cover. Racist or hateful language is sometimes dismissed as “trash talk,” allowing extremist narratives to blend in.

Join the Discussion

To answer this growing threat, SEAN-CSO is holding its third webinar: “Deep Dive on Spreading Hate Speech and Radicalisation Through Games (Roblox/PUBG Case)”.

This vital online event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 11th, 2025. It will bring together leading experts to examine exactly how these gaming environments are being used to spread hate and radicalize individuals.

The objective is clear. We must understand how gaming environments like Roblox or PUBG contribute to the development of radicalism and the spread of hate speech.

What You Will Learn?

This webinar will provide practical and actionable insights. You will:

• Identify the specific tactics extremist groups use within games.
• Understand the warning signs of radicalization in online gaming communities.
• Analyze real-world case studies of hate speech and propaganda in games such as Roblox or PUBG.
• Explore the psychological factors that make young gamers vulnerable.
• Discuss effective strategies for prevention and intervention for parents, educators, and CSOs.
• Learn about the moderation challenges platforms face and what policymakers can do.

Meet the Experts

We have assembled a panel of leading experts to guide this discussion.

• Asrul Daniel Ahmed, Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), Malaysia

Asrul Daniel Ahmed is the director of SEARCCT. He is an expert on advancing innovative digital strategies to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE). He brings a critical regional perspective on how this threat impacts Southeast Asia.

• Pradipa P. Rasidi, Technology & Violence Program, Monash University Indonesia

Pradipa P. Rasidi is a digital anthropologist, also a Project Officer Technology & Violence Program of Monash University Indonesia. He is an expert in the field of digital anthropology, which intersects with technology and anti-violence development.

The session will be guided by Ahmad Afryan (PeaceGeneration Indonesia). Ahmad is an experienced coordinator and senior trainer of PeaceGeneration Indonesia, ensuring the discussion is structured, engaging, and practical.

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is essential for anyone concerned with digital safety and social cohesion.

• Activists and CSOs: You will gain new insights for your digital literacy and counter-extremism programs.
• Researchers and Academics: You will hear from field leaders and discover new avenues for research.
• Policymakers: You will get the data you need to develop informed regulations for safer online spaces.
• Parents and Educators: You will learn how to spot the warning signs and protect children from online dangers.
• Gamers and Community Leaders: You will understand how to safeguard your communities and promote a positive gaming environment.

Do not miss this critical conversation. The threat is real, and it is evolving. We must work together to understand it and counter it effectively.

Event Details

Event: Deep Dive on Spreading Hate Speech and Radicalisation through Games (Roblox/PUBG Case)

Date: Tuesday, November 11th, 2025

Time: 03.00 PM Jakarta Time | 04.00 PM Kuala Lumpur Time | 06.00 PM Melbourne Time

Speakers:

• Asrul Daniel Ahmed (SEARCCT), Malaysia
• Pradipa P. Rasidi, Digital anthropologist, Project Officer Technology & Violence Program, Monash University Indonesia

Moderator: Ahmad Afryan (PeaceGeneration Indonesia)

Registration: Free of charge

Save your seats. These spaces are limited.

Register now at https://bit.ly/Registration_SEANCSOWebinars