Counter terror police issue warning to parents to look out for signs their child is at risk of radicalisation online in wake of Netflix show Adolescence

I think a lot of people have just resigned themselves to some sort of inevitability about this and in actual fact, I think our young people, and certainly those who care for them, whether they're carers, adults and people that are in and around supporting our young people, mums and dads, guardians

Ahead of the debate, she said

The themes and storyline in Adolescence have sparked some incredibly important debate about dangerous rhetoric and ideologies that young schoolchildren can be exposed to through online and social media platforms

Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan, who is the Met's London Prevent Co-ordinator said

I appreciate that this might seem quite daunting or unsettling for some parents or carers

Detective Superintendent Corrigan added

Certainly not having any protections and no laws and not revisiting the age of consent, I think is completely wrong, because as far as I'm concerned, we know that it's harmful

She added

Even whenever you look at some of the language that certainly followers of the Tates would use in terms of 'lover boy' methods and 'love bombing' and all that sort of stuff.

She said

This has been going on for such a long time and that the Government responded by saying, 'we will allow this programme to be shown in schools' without any reference to the fact that we need to revisit the age of consent, and so far as digital platform usage, we need to immediately have financial sanctions for these companies that platform this harmful and often criminal content, and absolutely no mention of legislation at all

She said

Teachers are not specialists in male violence, trauma, radicalisation or abuse, and yet they would be expected to handle disclosures, emotional distress, defensive and triggered responses, and controversial discussions following this content

Highlighting a 'lack of guidance, structure or testing as an educational resource', the letter warned

Whilst it is a fantastic, gritty piece of writing, Adolescence is not an educational resource and is not suitable for schools,

she wrote

It's commendable the new Government are doing so much in this area around children offending, abuse and toxic masculinity - and I do think it’s done with a good heart,

she said

The 'manosphere' is an ecosystem of online influencers, forums, and video content promoting hyper-masculine, anti-feminist ideology [which] has a growing influence on adolescent boys,

Alex Anderson-Kahl, a nationally certified school psychologist and founder of the blog 'Healing Little Hearts', told Newsweek

He may parrot harmful ideas from popular online personalities or start consuming content that positions empathy, emotional openness, or equity as signs of weakness,

Anderson-Kahl said

In a subset of young boys, we're seeing a complete rejection of the idea of equality amongst genders, and almost a more intense hatred for women and genderfluid [individuals] than we may have seen in the past,

Jocelyn Bibi, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and therapist at Jocelyn Bibi Therapy, told Newsweek

It seems some young boys are feeling strongly 'anti-woke', meaning that they feel they are perhaps being persecuted, or given less opportunities, than those of other genders surrounding them,

she continued

Raising emotionally healthy boys in 2025 means giving them permission to be whole, to lead with strength and softness, confidence and care,

he said

James Browncandidate

This is a man’s world,

James Brown growled a lifetime ago

Hank Williamsamerican singer-songwriter (1923–1953)

Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you,

Hank Williams sings in Lost Highway, a song about a young man who goes astray

For too long, many online platforms have taken a hands-off approach to user content and behaviour, allowing extremist views and misogynistic attitudes to proliferate. Shows like Adolescence shine a light on the devastating impact this can have on young people,

she told the PA news agency

I think we should have the same rules here.”

Speaking about the law in Australia, she said

Keir Starmerprime Minister

It seems like the whole nation is talking about Adolescence and not just this nation,

Starmer said

It's about other people... being given the opportunity to have conversations they haven't had before and that they should have had that might lead to policy change and things being made better for our young people,

he told Sky News after the meeting