Hannover, Germany – The Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) has established an interdisciplinary expert group to bolster the protection of children and young people in the digital sphere, LKA President Thorsten Massinger announced on Wednesday.
The initiative, formed in December 2025, will focus on analyzing radicalization and threats online, developing digital prevention and education programs, and providing guidance to those affected, according to the LKA. Massinger stated the LKA’s “declared goal is to offer effective protection and support to young people who are easily influenced due to their development.”
The move comes as authorities acknowledge the increasing role of digital spaces as venues for both criminal activity, and radicalization. Straftaten zulasten von Kindern und Jugendlichen – including sexual abuse, cyberbullying, digital extortion, and extremist influence – represent a significant portion of digital crime, the LKA stated. Many cases remain unreported due to shame, fear, or a reluctance to contact authorities.
Radicalization processes are increasingly migrating to closed chat groups, forums, and social networks, where young people are deliberately targeted and ideologically influenced, according to the LKA. The expert group will combine criminal investigation expertise with scientific research to address these challenges.
“We want to empower children and young people in the internet – not exclude them from it,” Massinger said. “Anyone who understands the mechanisms of manipulation, hate speech and propaganda can better protect themselves. This can only succeed collectively.”
The LKA Niedersachsen is also prioritizing research to better understand the extent of online crime affecting young people and to identify their experiences with digital offenses. The agency is advocating for legally sound and effective age verification procedures on social media platforms and measures to restrict minors’ access to inappropriate content.
In a related effort, the Lower Saxony LKA has been actively engaging with young people online through its police presence on platforms like Twitch, where officers participate in gaming and digital conversations. Massinger has pledged to expand the police’s online presence during his tenure, stating that a stronger preventative approach is crucial to protecting young people from online crimes such as insults, psychological violence, and sexual abuse. The LKA has used Twitch to educate young people about issues like cybergrooming, where perpetrators attempt to manipulate young people online.
Massinger highlighted the ease with which potential offenders can target minors online, noting that simply registering on a platform with a fictitious name like “Lena12” can quickly attract unwanted and harmful attention. He described the level of abuse encountered online as “shocking.”
The LKA’s efforts also address the growing concern of youth radicalization online, a trend that Massinger described as “worrying.”
