You have probably never heard the term “crimefluencer”.

These are members of decentralised online crime networks who take crime content and amplify it to build notoriety and status in their online communities.

They also recruit content creators to film themselves or others committing crimes, with the vision shared across social media, forums, or messaging apps.

Late last year, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) set up a taskforce to “identify, disrupt and dismantle those online ecosystems that target Australians”.

So, what exactly is happening, how bad is the problem, and what are some possible solutions?

What is a decentralised online crime network?

A decentralised online crime network is not a single organised crime group, but a loose collection of people and small online communities who are connected through shared interests and platforms.

They don’t have clear leaders or formal membership. Instead, people and sub-groups interact across social media such as TikTok, forums, and messaging apps like Snapchat, often anonymously.

The AFP states members of these networks are “typically young males from English-speaking countries with common beliefs on violent extremism, nihilism, Nazism, satanism and sadism”.

These networks have been responsible for numerous online crimes, including the production of violent extremist material and the exploitation of young people, predominantly young girls. Known as “post and boast” activities, crimes range from joyriding through to serious physical assaults.

The AFP states victims are often “coerced online into performing explicit and violent acts on themselves, siblings, others or........

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