A 16-year-old Australian teenager who used ChatGPT while researching a potential terrorist attack in Sydney has avoided imprisonment after pleading guilty to preparing or planning a terrorist act. The New South Wales Supreme Court sentenced him to a three-year community corrections order on 9 November 2026, after hearing that he had encountered extremist content on TikTok.
According to The Guardian, the teenager used ChatGPT to research security arrangements at the Sydney Opera House and other information connected to his activities. Justice Stephen Campbell found that the teenager had not developed a concrete attack plan or obtained materials to carry out an attack.
Teen Used ChatGPT to Research Potential Targets
The teenager, identified by the pseudonym RK because of his age, was 14 when the offending occurred in 2024. Court proceedings revealed that he had considered the Sydney Opera House as a potential target. He also researched other locations in Sydney while communicating with individuals online.
RK used ChatGPT to obtain information about Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, including whether prisoners could access news. He also asked the chatbot about security arrangements at the Sydney Opera House and locations where convicted terrorists were imprisoned in New South Wales. Court records showed that he attempted to contact Tsarnaev by email but did not establish communication.
The teenager also used YouTube to watch videos about potential targets and searched Telegram for information about explosives. According to the court, he shared extremist material with other users on the messaging platform. However, Justice Campbell found no evidence that he had obtained bomb-making materials or established a specific date for an attack.
TikTok Exposure Preceded Extremist Online Activity
The court heard that RK first encountered extremist material while browsing TikTok videos about historical events and political subjects. His initial interests included the Crusades and the September 11 attacks. He subsequently viewed religious content and videos involving increasingly violent material.
Justice Campbell said the teenager began communicating with other internet users about extremist subjects. RK told the court that he had sought approval from people he encountered online. He also acknowledged that extremist propaganda had influenced his thinking during the period.
The teenager was arrested at his western Sydney home in August 2024. According to ABC News, the court found that his preparations were limited and that he had not committed to carrying out an attack. He pleaded guilty in August 2026.
Court Orders Rehabilitation Instead of Imprisonment
Justice Campbell imposed a three-year community corrections order after considering the teenager's conduct and rehabilitation. The court heard that RK had completed six sessions of religious and ethical education with a Muslim cleric. Campbell found that he had renounced violent extremism and showed remorse for his actions.
The order requires the teenager to continue rehabilitation or educational programmes when directed. He must also provide his phone password to a youth justice officer and avoid encrypted messaging applications. Campbell assessed his likelihood of reoffending as very low.
The Guardian reported that OpenAI, Telegram and YouTube had been approached for comment. TikTok declined to comment on the case. The sentencing followed a parliamentary inquiry in which Australian intelligence officials described difficulties in detecting online radicalisation among young people.
