Experts warn violent online content may desensitise youths, distort understanding of harm

SHAH ALAM - As graphic and violent content becomes increasingly accessible online, experts warn that repeated exposure may desensitise children and teenagers, distorting their understanding of violence and its real-world consequences.

The warning comes following a recent stabbing incident at a secondary school in Banting, involving two 15-year-old students, which has raised concerns over the impact of violent content and online communities on young people.

However, experts stressed that no direct link should be drawn between exposure to violent material online and acts of violence, as human behaviour is complex and influenced by multiple factors.

Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (Content Forum) chief executive officer Mediha Mahmood said repeated exposure to graphic content could gradually change how young people perceive violence.

"Over time, something that was once shocking can start to feel normal to them and that is the risk that we need to think about.

"It can desensitise them, it can distort their understanding of consequences, or make extreme content feel more ordinary than it really is," she told Sinar Daily.

Mediha said the concern was not only about the violent material itself, but also the online environment surrounding such content, where discussions, sharing and reactions could influence vulnerable young users.

"The bigger concern to me is also the online environment around the content. In some spaces, violent material is not just shown, it is discussed, it is shared, some places rank them, they joke about them or even glorify them.

"For a young person who is already, for example, isolated, angry, distressed or vulnerable in any way, that kind of community can become very unhealthy," she added.

She stressed that the public must be cautious about making assumptions that a person who consumes violent content would automatically become violent.

"On this issue, I think we need to be very careful not to draw a direct line between any one type of online content and a violent incident.

"Human behaviour is complex and most people who consume violent or true crime content will not become violent. I myself am an avid true crime fan, but I am as law-abiding as they come," she said.

However, Mediha said this did not mean repeated exposure to violent material was harmless, particularly among children and teenagers who are still developing emotionally and cognitively.

"Young people are still developing emotionally and cognitively, so they may know in theory that violence is wrong.

"But repeated exposure to graphic violence, real-life death, or communities that discuss killers and violent acts in a sensational or even almost admiring way can definitely affect how they process harm," she added.

Developing minds more vulnerable to violent content

Universiti Putra Malaysia artificial intelligence senior lecturer Dr Azree Shahrel Ahmad Nazri said repeated exposure to graphic violence could have psychological and behavioural effects, particularly among young people.

He said research had shown that frequent exposure to violent material could lead to desensitisation, where violence becomes perceived as less disturbing or more normal.

"Repeated exposure to graphic violence can have several psychological and behavioural effects, particularly on young people whose brains are still developing.

"Research suggests that frequent exposure may lead to desensitisation, where violence becomes perceived as more normal or less emotionally disturbing," he said.

He added that such exposure could also contribute to increased anxiety, fear, emotional distress or unhealthy curiosity about violent acts.

Azree said the rapid spread of violent material online had made controlling exposure increasingly difficult, with graphic content sometimes reaching large audiences before platforms can remove it.

He cited the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand as an example of how livestreamed violence could spread widely online.

During the attack, the perpetrator livestreamed the incident and the footage was repeatedly shared across social media platforms before it could be removed, exposing many users, including young people, to graphic violence.

He also highlighted the now-banned Reddit community WatchPeopleDie, which hosted real-life death videos and became a platform where violent material was shared and circulated, including copies of the Christchurch attack footage.

"These examples demonstrate how online spaces can normalise repeated exposure to violence, especially when users encounter such content repeatedly or within communities that encourage discussion and sharing of the material," he said.

The concerns came after a 15-year-old student was stabbed at a secondary school in Banting, Kuala Langat, on Monday.

The suspect, who is also a 15-year-old student from the same school, has since been remanded for four days to assist investigations.

It was reported that the incident took place at about 9.30am when the suspect allegedly entered the school canteen through a route from the surau.

The victim allegedly suffered about 16 stab wounds to her body and face, as well as a lung injury.

She was rushed to the Banting Hospital, where medical staff treated her by draining blood from her left lung.

She remains in stable condition and was able to communicate.

The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine upon conviction.