A parliamentary inquiry into racism, hate, and violence directed at Indigenous Australians has received more than 420 submissions, many describing an increasingly toxic online environment. The Australian Human Rights Commission has called for a digital duty of care to prevent social media algorithms from incentivizing racist content.
Impact on Mental Health
First Nations people report that online racism significantly impacts their mental health. Kamilaroi man Jordan Hindmarsh-Keevil, known as Your Online Brother, describes it as "like carrying a bully in your pocket." He says the constant exposure to racist comments accumulates, leading to a "death by a thousand cuts."
Viral Racist Video
Recently, a video by self-declared comedian Lisa Jane Spencer went viral, showing her in blackface and mocking Aboriginal identity. The video was criticized for perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Spencer defended it as satire, but it was eventually removed by Meta for violating hateful conduct policies.
Submissions to Inquiry
Carl Lymburner and Irene Leard, founders of support group Helping Our Mob Everywhere, submitted evidence of rising offensive content targeting Indigenous organizations and individuals. Leard notes that Indigenous people are constantly judged and labeled, leading to real-world harm and community division.
Algorithmic Amplification
Sam Bennell, a Noongar content creator, gained thousands of followers but noticed his videos were being pushed to racist audiences, causing a toll on his mental health. He stopped posting due to the negativity.
Call for Action
The Australian Human Rights Commission recommends a digital duty of care requiring social media companies to mitigate risks from algorithms that amplify racist narratives. Meta stated it takes the issue seriously and encourages reporting of hateful content.
Hindmarsh-Keevil used the backlash to Spencer's video to fundraise for an online mental health course for Aboriginal people, with over 500 places funded in response.
Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for crisis support, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
