Australian federal police will develop an AI tool to decode gen Z and Alpha slang and emojis in an effort to crackdown on sadistic online exploitation and “crimefluencers”.
The AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, used a speech at the National Press Club on Wednesday to warn of the rise of online crime networks of young boys and men who are targeting vulnerable teen and preteen girls.
The newly appointed chief outlined how the perpetrators, who are overwhelmingly from English-speaking backgrounds, were grooming victims and then forcing them to “perform serious acts of violence on themselves, their siblings, others or their pets”.
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“They are crimefluencers and are motivated by anarchy and hurting others, with most of their victims (being) preteen or teenage girls,” she said in a pitch to parents and carers.
“The motivation of individuals within these networks is not financial nor is it for sexual gratification – this is purely for their amusement, for fun – or to be popular online without fully understanding the consequences.
“In this new, twisted type of gamification, perpetrators reach a status or new level in their group when they provide more content showing more extreme acts of depravity and sadism.
“And, in some cases, perpetrators trade their victims with each other – just like in an online game.”
Federal police say they have identified 59 alleged offenders as being in these online networks and have made an unspecified number of arrests – all of whom are aged between 17 and 20.
Barrett said on Wednesday that AFP members were working with Microsoft to develop an artificial intelligence tool that could “interpret emojis and gen Z and Alpha slang in encrypted communications and chat groups to identify sadistic online exploitation”.
“This prototype aims to make it quicker for our teams to save children from harm much earlier,” she said in an advance copy of her speech.
“I know it seems like a never-ending battle to keep our kids safe but, to parents and carers, please know you are not doing this by yourself and there are some simple things you can do.”
Youth radicalisation also featured in Barrett’s speech. She noted that four youths had been charged with terrorism-related offences this year as a result of 10 investigations.
Since 2020, a total of 48 youths aged between 12 and 17 have been investigated on suspicion of terrorism offences with 25 charges laid.
Barrett said 54% had been identified as being religiously motivated, 22% as ideologically motivated, 11% as having mixed or unclear ideology and 13% as having motivations yet to be determined.
In one case in 2022, Barrett revealed a 14-year-old was investigated after they used Snapchat to post about issue-motivated violent extremism.
The 14-year-old had access to firearms and explosives and a tip-off outlined they were planning a school shooting in Australia.
Upon their arrest, police found a tactical vest, ballistic helmet and “extremist-type” drawings, Barrett said.
The commissioner’s speech addressed the AFP’s ongoing investigation into the Adass Israel Synagogue arson attack, with Barrett claiming the suspected individual was allegedly also responsible for a number of tobacco shop firebombings.
“That person is a national security threat to this country,” she said.
“Of all the alleged criminals accused of threatening Australia, he is my number one priority, and I have tasked my most experienced criminal hunters to target him.”
Barrett’s arrival as the AFP’s new commissioner after the retirement of the former head, Reece Kershaw, has also signalled a shift in the police force’s mission.
The AFP will now exist to “defend and protect Australia and Australia’s future from domestic and global security threats”, resulting in more overseas actions and operations.
One of those Barrett outlined was the AFP’s collaboration with Colombian law enforcement. AFP members were deployed in remote parts of the Colombian jungle to “deliberately destroy cocaine production laboratories”, she said.
“The AFP has had enough of crime gangs targeting Australia and, where we lawfully can, we will work with local law enforcement to target criminals in their own back yard,” she said.
“Just in the past couple of years alone, the AFP-Colombian cooperation has seized more than eight tonnes of cocaine.”
The partnership with Colombian authorities has also resulted in the seizure of a weapons and explosives cache from narco-terrorist groups, used to attack police and military personnel.
Barrett said the AFP helped authorities seize 295 military-grade grenades, 200 detonators, two firearms and ammunition.
