BRUSSELS (Realist English). The European Union’s counter-terrorism coordinator, Bartjan Wegter, has issued an urgent call for greater pressure on major social media platforms to curb the online radicalisation and recruitment of young people.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Wegter warned that the internet has become a “breeding ground” where multiple threats converge, and that existing EU regulations are insufficient to address the evolving danger.
While large-scale terrorist attacks have declined over the past decade, Wegter noted a troubling rise in small-scale assaults carried out by individuals radicalised online.
He coined the term “self-service terrorism” to describe a growing phenomenon in which young people, often minors, self-radicalise through readily available extremist content on the internet without ever coming into direct contact with a recruiter.
“Many of those carrying out small-scale attacks are being recruited online by extremist groups or state actors,” Wegter stated. He warned that terrorist content is now easily accessible online, making it possible for “self-service” radicalisation.
From Mass Attacks to Fragmented Threats
The nature of the terrorist threat in Europe has fundamentally shifted. The EU has not recorded a large-scale terrorist attack for nearly a decade, since the Islamic State (IS) operations in France, Belgium and Spain between 2015 and 2017. However, the threat has become far more fragmented. Rather than hierarchical organisations like al-Qaeda or IS operating from abroad, the danger now increasingly stems from decentralised networks and individuals radicalised through online propaganda.
European authorities have recorded a sharp increase in the number of minors and teenagers involved in attacks or plots. According to EU data, one third of terrorist suspects in the EU are under 20, with some as young as 12.
Pressure on Platforms: The Era of Impunity Is Over
Wegter stressed that the EU must intensify pressure on social media platforms, which he believes still have significant work to do beyond what current regulations require.
While the EU’s Digital Services Act already imposes obligations on major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok — including the removal of illegal content and the avoidance of addictive design — Wegter warned that many problematic materials fall outside the scope of existing rules.
“Social media can no longer enjoy impunity,” he declared. Although he did not rule out additional legislation or legal action similar to US court proceedings, Wegter argued that a combination of dialogue and pressure is the most effective approach.
The EU’s existing regulation on terrorist content already requires platforms to remove content officially designated as terrorist propaganda. However, Wegter pointed out that much of the material fuelling radicalisation cannot be clearly defined as “terrorist content” — yet it undeniably incites hatred and violence.
The Challenge of State Actors
Wegter also raised particular concern about the role of “malicious state actors” in exploiting social media to recruit and radicalise young people. He specifically identified Iran and Russia as states employing such tactics. This warning comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the EU and both countries, adding a geopolitical dimension to the counter-terrorism effort.
Dialogue, Pressure — and Limits
Wegter’s intervention represents the most forceful public statement by an EU counter-terrorism official on the role of social media in youth radicalisation to date. His call for the end of “impunity” for tech giants signals a more confrontational approach, even as he insists on maintaining dialogue with the industry.
Yet open questions remain. Can a strategy of “dialogue and pressure” compel platforms to act more decisively, or will the economic incentives of engagement continue to outweigh security concerns? Will the EU be able to close the regulatory gaps that allow “grey area” content — material that falls short of outright terrorist propaganda but still radicalises young minds — to flourish? And most importantly — can any regulatory framework keep pace with the speed at which extremist ecosystems evolve online?
For now, Wegter has drawn a line in the sand. The era of impunity, he insists, is over. But translating that declaration into effective action against the diffuse, adaptive and increasingly “self-service” nature of online radicalisation remains the defining challenge — not just for the EU, but for democracies everywhere.
