More than 1,000 ‘distressing’ social media posts removed at Australian government’s request in 2023

Figures show rise in incidents of online extremism and violent content, partly fuelled by Israel-Gaza conflict

More than 1,000 violent and extremist posts have been taken down from social media at the federal government’s request following an increase in referrals brought on in part by the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

It follows a warning by the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, in the days following Hamas’s 7 October attacks against southern Israel that it was the job of social media companies to “prevent the spread of distressing violent and terrorist content”.