Australia's race discrimination commissioner has issued a stark warning, accusing major social media platforms of allowing racist and antisemitic hate to spread 'unchecked' because it is profitable. Giridharan Sivaraman stated that this online vitriol is creating a dangerous climate, with a surge in racially motivated violence likely in the wake of the Bondi beach terror attack.
Social Media Platforms Accused of Profitable Negligence
Speaking at a Queensland Council of Unions event on International Migrants Day, Commissioner Sivaraman delivered a damning assessment of the role played by tech giants. "There are some that say you can turn the tap of online hate off," he said. "It's just that it's not in the interest of the social media platforms to do so because, unfortunately, racism and hate can be profitable."
He pointed to a deliberate regression in content moderation, noting the removal of fact-checkers from some platforms. This choice, he argued, directly enables the flow of misinformation and disinformation, contributing to what he described as "febrile and difficult times."
A Missed Opportunity with the Anti-Racism Framework
Sivaraman expressed deep frustration that the federal government has not yet adopted the Australian Human Rights Commission's national anti-racism framework, a detailed roadmap launched in November 2024. He has advocated for this framework for over a year.
The commissioner believes that had the framework been in place, it could have provided critical tools to combat the rising tide of antisemitism. "That taskforce could have identified, and still can identify, the recommendations to move with as a matter of priority, particularly to tackle antisemitism," he explained.
He emphasised that even after the horror of the Bondi attack, which left 15 people dead, an urgent meeting of the proposed taskforce could have been convened. "So I do think that the failure to support that framework has meant that efforts to combat antisemitism weren't able to be progressed," Sivaraman stated.
Warnings of Escalating Violence and a 'Cronulla 2.0'
Visibly emotional, the commissioner shared his fears for the coming months, warning that the situation is likely to deteriorate. "It's going to get worse before it gets better," he said, expressing particular concern about the period around 26 January, Australia Day.
His apprehension is fuelled by online activity promoting a "Cronulla 2.0," a direct reference to the violent race riots that erupted in Sydney in 2005. These messages, he revealed, actively encourage people to gather in Cronulla to assault individuals of Middle Eastern origin.
Sivaraman, who described feeling "shell-shocked and sickened" by the Bondi violence, called for broader action beyond addressing antisemitism alone. "Because there are many other communities that are affected by racism," he told union officials, stressing the need for a comprehensive national response to the crisis of hate.
