In a familiar sight for the white supremacist protest scene, a group of masked men stand holding signs. Dressed in signature blue shirts and khaki pants with white face masks, they are unmistakably wearing the uniforms of Patriot Front, a white nationalist group with chapters across the United States known for staging large marches and demonstrations on city streets. This event was no different, as the activists took their signs and marched to a location where they could attract attention and controversy. But these demonstrators are not standing on real asphalt, nor are the men standing together. The entire scene takes place on the digital streets of “Bloxberg,” a popular simulation of a real town on the gaming platform Roblox. Nor are they actual members of Patriot Front. Having dubbed themselves the “Blueshirts,” this group of mostly US-based teenagers, with members as young as 13, models its aesthetic and activism after the real-life Patriot Front hate group, but they only exist online. Part of a larger problem of extremism on the platform, the Blueshirts are one example of how the far right leverages popular video game platforms to spread their message and target young people. Roblox is an extremely popular application with youth, making it a place where they congregate and push boundaries. The problem goes much deeper than one group of white supremacist children, as the platform is simultaneously an incubator for child abuse material and exploitation. Roblox relies completely on user-generated content to fill its platform and engage users. Design tools provided by Roblox allow players to create levels and games, called “experiences,” that can be made public for anyone to play. Players can also design, wear, and even sell custom clothing used by the in-game characters. Games can be simple or have complex stories and mechanics. These features are used by the Blueshirts to create facsimiles of Patriot Front’s clothing, as well as custom areas or settings that the game will take place in that they have built to resemble the location of real-life white nationalist meet-ups. This includes a fighting ring with symbols from Will2Rise, a clothing brand and company associated with white supremacist Robert Rundo, founder of the Active Club movement which has chapters across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia.
via globalextremism: Online Neo-Nazi Group Using Children’s Video Games For Recruiting And Propaganda
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