Hybrid Cyber Governance and Child Radicalization: A Global South Perspective from Indonesia

Abstract

The escalating involvement of Indonesian children in violent extremism through digital platforms, encrypted messaging services, and online gaming ecosystems demands an integrated, cross-sectoral, and child-sensitive security governance approach. Mainstream counter-terrorism scholarship, largely shaped by Global North liberal paradigms, often misinterprets non-state actors' engagement as evidence of state fragility or institutional deficiency. Furthermore, existing research largely overlooks platform-level technical architectures and key psychosocial drivers, such as chronic peer victimization and extreme isolation. Addressing this critical theoretical and empirical gap, this study reconceptualizes hybrid security governance from a distinct Global South vantage point by dissecting the complex interplay among peer bullying, excessive screen time, algorithmic recommendation systems, and digital radicalization trajectories. Employing a qualitative post-positivist methodology, the investigation incorporates rigorous policy reviews, cyber-forensic evaluations, and structured focus group discussions conducted across three strategic regions: Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java. Key participants comprised relevant state apparatuses (Densus 88 AT, BNPT, BSSN, Komdigi, KPAI, and KemenPPPA) alongside vital non-state actors, including Islamic mass organizations, traditional boarding schools (pesantren), ethical hacker collectives, and local community leaders. The findings delineate a multi-stage radicalization pipeline wherein psychological trauma stemming from peer bullying induces compensatory screen dependency. Recommendation algorithms, gamified cyber-grooming tactics, and covert recruitment within private encrypted communication channels then exploit this vulnerability. In response, Indonesia demonstrates an indigenous Global South Hybrid Security Governance model with four core pillars: mobilizing relational authority, synchronizing formal-informal cyber coordination, family-centric psychosocial rehabilitation, and community-driven digital literacy initiatives rooted in religious moderation. Theoretically, this research contributes to contemporary cyber-criminology and critical security studies by challenging conventional, state-centric orthodoxies. Practically, the empirical insights offer actionable frameworks for policymakers aiming to formulate youth-oriented prevention strategies that safeguard vulnerable minors while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).