Abstract
this article examines the rapid growth of online social networks and their role in the proliferation of harmful and extremist content. Referencing the Global Digital 2023 report, it highlights the increasing global use of social media, with nearly 60% of the population actively engaged. While social media offers many benefits, it has also become a platform for spreading dangerous ideologies, including terrorism, cyberbullying, and extremist political movements. The article explores how extremist groups exploit social media to spread propaganda, recruitfollowers, and incite violence, often bypassing platform restrictions through tactics like using trending hashtags or creating new usernames. The article also addresses the challenges in identifying and categorizing extremistcontent, pointing out issues such as unreliable datasets, the lack of automated verification systems, and biases in research. It reviews the field of research focused on detecting extremist material, including tools for analyzing violent videos and extremist texts. Additionally, the article discusses the various forms of extremism found in Kazakhstan—political, national, and religious—and how these ideologies are amplified online. It notes the limitations of current extremism research, such as data imbalances and methodological differences, which hinder accurate analysis. Finally, the article advocates for the development of advanced software solutions to more effectively identify and mitigate extremist content, thereby contributing to global efforts to combat online extremism and enhance national security.