The spread of hate speech online has become more accessible for some users who can hide behind a screen while posting offensive material. And now a study of 40 Australian accounts on the alternative social media website Gab shows a spike in posts during lockdown months of 2020.
Senior Research Fellow Mario Peucker [[POI-kuh]] from Victoria University says he's concerned about hatred being amplified online.
"I think between 11-12 per cent of the posts on Gab have anti-semitic openly and explicitly hateful statements. That's something we didn't see before, so there is a development towards more white supremacy, fascist talk. Not everyone on Gab talks like this."
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess told Senate estimates that investigations into ideologically motivated violent extremism, such as racists and nationalists, are approaching 50 per cent of the counter-terrorism onshore caseload. He also warned that religiously motivated violent extremism was the most serious terrorist threat.
SBS News approached Gab for comment about how it monitors dangerous rhetoric online in order to minimise the risk of extremism. Gab was also asked about its anti-racism measures and how it counters misinformation.
Its chief executive Andrew Torba accused the media of radicalising people and labelling them 'extremists' when they are trying to protect their faith, families and countries.
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