More Australians are becoming victims of online hate, with the perpetrator usually a stranger and social media the platform.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said new research found an increasing number of adults were receiving online abuse based on characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or gender.
Ms Inman Grant said the research highlighted troubling patterns of online behaviour, with less than half of targeted adults taking action.
“No Australian living in our community today should have to endure hateful abuse because of who they are,” she said.
“If you witness or experience these kinds of attacks online, block the user and report it to the platform.”
She said some online hate may meet the threshold for adult cyber abuse, which was material intended to cause serious harm to an individual.
“We have powers to get such material removed and you can report it to us at eSafety.gov.au.
“Our research shows most of those who have experienced online hate say it has caused them significant harm, but simple steps like these can go a long way towards protecting them.”
Ms Inman Grant said the research showed adults who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, sexually diverse, with disability and/or as linguistically diverse were more likely to see and personally experience online hate.
She said the experiences of online hate had increased significantly across the community from 14 percent in 2019 to 18 percent in 2022.
“Most targeted adults who personally experienced online hate said the perpetrator was a stranger, and in most cases, it occurred on social media.”
The research comes as stronger hate speech laws were passed in Federal Parliament this week.
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 created new criminal offences and made clear that advocating or threatening the use of force and violence was unacceptable and would be subject to serious criminal penalties.
Attorney-General Dreyfus said the Bill targeted the most serious forms of harmful hate speech, namely advocating and threatening the use of force or violence against a group or member of a group or against a place of worship.
He said these offences would protect groups, or members of groups, distinguished by race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, national or ethnic origin or political opinion.
“We are sending a clear and unambiguous message that advocating or threatening violence is not acceptable. It is criminal behaviour and will be treated as such.”
Download the eSafety report: Fighting the tide – Encounters with online hate among targetted groups
