Nihilistic Violent Extremist

This is a relatively new term that does not yet exist in Wikipedia. We thought of writing a page describing what this means.

The term “nihilistic violent extremist” (NVE) is a relatively new classification used by U.S. federal law enforcement, including the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ), to describe individuals or groups motivated primarily by a general hatred of society and a desire for its collapse through indiscriminate chaos and destruction. This contrasts with traditional extremists who typically have clear, specific political, social, or religious objectives. 

violence over the internet

Key Characteristics

  • Motivation: Perpetrators are driven by a deep-seated hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about systemic shock and social instability.
  • Lack of Clear Ideology: NVEs often do not subscribe to a single, coherent political or religious ideology (sometimes described as a “salad bar of ideologies”). The primary motivation is the violence itself, sometimes described as “gamifying” real-life violence.
  • Tactics: NVEs aim for “low-cost, high-chaos events” such as mass shootings, swatting campaigns, and animal cruelty. They often use online platforms to share information on how to conduct attacks and to desensitize others to violence.
  • Recruitment: NVE networks, such as the online group “764,” target and groom vulnerable individuals, often minors, using online communities and social media platforms. The grooming can involve coercion into self-harm, sexual exploitation, and committing acts of violence.