Annotation

The article is devoted to the study of gaming platforms as a venue for the dissemination of destructive content and the involvement of persons in unlawful activity. The author examines the main directions of the unlawful use of computer games, as well as the specific features inherent in this sphere that contribute to the growth in the number of crimes. Minors and young people represent the most socially and psychologically vulnerable category of the population, characterized by high susceptibility to external influence, which, combined with the absence of criminal liability for young children and the milder sanctions applicable to minors, determines the interest of criminal groups in recruiting them. By employing the methods of analysis, synthesis and criminological modeling, a phased mechanism of drawing minors into unlawful activity was identified; furthermore, through the comparative legal method, legal approaches to the regulation of the age of criminal responsibility and the qualification of acts in the legal systems of Russia and foreign countries were juxtaposed.