Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly has urged Facebook to take stronger action against hate speech and abuse targeting Aboriginal people on its platform.
The Assembly called on the social media giant to actively address the “tidal wave” of horrendous comments made towards Aboriginal people by trolls using the platform.
A recent survey conducted by the Assembly found that more than 40 percent of Victorian Indigenous people have been exposed to racial abuse or racism on Facebook in the past three months. The survey also found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are almost nine times more likely to be attacked on Facebook than any other group.
As such, the Assembly is asking Facebook to take a number of measures to prevent further racist attacks, including:
- Investing in more sophisticated algorithms to detect and remove hate speech
- Requiring trolls to verify their accounts before they can post comments
- Working with Indigenous groups to enhance the platform’s understanding of racism
- Investing in measures that foster more positive conversations around Indigenous topics
- Appointing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander liaison person to interact with the Assembly
- Implementing tougher restrictions on posts aimed at Aboriginal people
- Making good faith efforts to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ safety on Facebook Facebook has a responsibility to its users to ensure the platform is safe and inclusive. We urge Facebook to act decisively on these important issues, and work with the Assembly to develop effective solutions.