One of the most significant forms of hate speech that OHPI combats is online racism. The Macquarie Dictionary (Sixth Edition, 2013) defines racism as:
noun 1. the belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate others.
2. a policy or system of government and society based upon such a belief.
3. behaviour or language based on this kind of belief in relation to a person or persons of a particular race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin, either demonstrating an inherent prejudice without specific hostile intent or, alternatively, intended to offend, insult, humiliate, or intimidate.
Our reports, briefings and campaigns have covered online expressions of both supremacist speech (speech claiming the superiority of one race over all others, for example, white supremacy) and racist speech directed against a specific group (for example, antisemitic speech (attacking Jews) and speech denigrating Indigenous Australians).
Australian federal law makes racism unlawful under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act (see our video explaining section 18C). Each Australian state has further laws prohibiting racism. Racism is defined under the legislation to include race, nationality and ethnic origin. In Victoria, religious vilification (for example Anti-Muslim hate) is treated in similar terms to racism (for example Antisemitism).
Index
Campaign (September 2020) – Combating Online Racism and Xenophobia
During the month of September we will be running a special campaign to combat online Racism and Xenophobia. The campaign aims to increase the focus on preventing this particular area of online hate. Special donations can be made to support this specific campaign and are welcome at any time.
Below is a list of our publications documenting, reporting and highlighting instances of online racist speech.
Articles
All
Briefings
Reports
Media
16 July 16, 2020: Facebook ‘failing miserably’ on hate speech, Australian Jewish News
July 3, 2020: Indigenous Australians face sexual racism on dating apps: ‘The second he found out about my heritage, he was gone‘, ABC
June 11, 2020: Radio interview discussing calls for a new anti-racism strategy, SBS World News Radio
May 9, 2020: COVID-19 has prompted a spike in racist attacks. We need to start tracking them better, ABC News
April 17, 2020: Victims of coronavirus-fuelled racism in Australia are speaking out about its impact, SBS News
March 15, 2020: ‘Governments advertising was supporting the hosting of terrorist manifesto’, J-Wire
February 29, 2020: ‘Why is Instagram still hosting ‘Black Lives Don’t Matter’ accounts?’, The Daily Dot
February 6, 2020: ‘’Playing Into The Hysteria’: How Racism Has ‘Mobilised Fear And Hostility’ Over Coronavirus’, 10 Daily
August 26, 2019: ‘Blocking 8Chan just ‘baby steps’ in fighting racist extremism, Experts Say’, 10 Daily
August 6, 2019: El Paso terrorist attack and 8Chan, ABC News
March 25, 2019: ‘Christchurch shootings fuel politics of race in NZ, Australia‘ China Daily Global
November 6, 2018: “Why you should argue with racists”, The Sydney Morning Herald
March 3, 2017: The battle against rising antisemitism online, Australian Jewish News
February 17, 2017: Nazi posters in Melbourne, Australian Jewish News
February 16, 2017: Neo-Nazi Group Covers Melbourne In Vile Racist Posters, Huffington Post
February 15, 2017: Neo-Nazis posters and stickers plaster Melbourne, J-Wire
February 3, 2017: How neo-Nazis exploit Instagram to spread antisemitic memes
September 22, 2016: It’s Actually Illegal To Be Racist On The Internet, Huffington Post
August 15, 2016: Anti-Muslim hate speech ‘fuels extremism’, experts say
June 9, 2016: Twitter Fails to Confront Vicious anti-Semites, Jewish Journalists Say, Haaretz
June 7, 2016: Online anti-Semitism: Difficult to Fight, but Even Harder to Quantify, Haaretz
December 30, 2015: BBC reflects with OHPI on rising online hate in 2015
November 23, 2015: OHPI featured in an ABC Radio National documentary
November 18, 2015: OHPI represented at a national conference on multiculturalism
September 22, 2015: OHPI featured in BBC News
September 18, 2015: Campaign to stop Online Hate against Islam – SBS Radio Interview
September 3, 2015: Radio interview about OHPI’s work combating online hate (K-Rock FM)
July 18, 2015: Melbourne Rally Against Racism
July 14, 2015: Don’t give in to extremism
June 10, 2015: Countering Violent Extremism Summit
June 3, 2015: OHPI at Limmud Oz 2015
May 11, 2015: Online Hate (J-Wire)
May 11, 2015: “Online Antisemitism: Meeting the Challenge” in The Big Smoke
April 16, 2015: Right Honourable Useful Idiots
April 14, 2015: Hackers target Bnei Akiva Facebook Page
April 12, 2015: Changemakers Honoured
April 7, 2015: Press Release: Hackers target Jews online
March 24, 2015: Dr Oboler’s Book Review of “Viral Hate”
March 31, 2015: Spotlight on Antisemitism: Illuminating the nature of hate (The Big Smoke)
March 30, 2015: OHPI’s CEO Dr Andre Oboler interviewed by the NIRS
Feb 16, 2015: OHPI in The Melbourne Jewish Report
Feb 15, 2015: Denmark Attacked (Press Release)
Feb 9, 2015: The hatred sown in the network: digital antisemitism (smarknews.it)
January 21, 2015: Je Suis Humain: Responsible free speech in the shadow of Charlie Hebdo (The Big Smoke)
January 21, 2015: OHPI: Je Suis Humain (hurryupharry.org)
January 21, 2015: OHPI on The Project
January 20, 2015: OHPI releases report on free speech in light of the Charlie Hebdo attacks (Press Release)
December 15, 2014: New tool in fighting online hate (Australian Jewish News)
December 11, 2014: OHPI: Tracking down the data to combat online hate (The Big Smoke)
December 10, 2014: Hitting Back Against Hate (MX)
December 9, 2014: Fight Against Hate Launched (OHPI Press Release)
May 22, 2014: Leading the fight against Online Hate (The Australian Jewish News)
May 14, 2014: Google and Facebook need your help to police online hate (Times of Israel)
Haaretz.com: N.Z. Jews welcome John Key’s reelection as they sense a shift in anti-Semitism
J-Wire: Hate Mail for Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs
The Algemeiner: Anti-Semitic Flyers Distributed in Sydney Again; Neo-Nazi Group Wants Jews Out of Australia
Jerusalem Post: It is time Facebook Repents
J-Wire: Online Hate to be Countered
J-Wire: Dealing with Online Hate
The Australian: Rise of Anti-Semitism From This War is No Accident
Australian Jewish News: The battle against online hate
Australian Jewish News, Australian Jewish Jews: Loving Nazis, Hating Muslims
The Australian Jewish News: 18C helped beat Facebook hate page
theage.com.au: Bendigo mosque a cause celebre for right-wing outsiders
J-Wire: Social Media Connects Far Right Groups
News.com.au: Facebook shuts vile Aboriginal memes page, despite earlier claiming it didn’t constitute ‘hate speech
National Indigenous Radio: OHPI on National Indigenous Radio Service
The Louis D. Brandeis Center Blog: If you can’t recognize hate speech, the sunlight can’t penetrate
Deadly Vibe Magazine: Hate speech ‘not OK’
News and Views from Jews Down Under: Aussie Jews leading the fight against hate
Israel National News (Arutz Sheva): Anti-Semitism in Social Media Includes Twitter: Interview with Andre Oboler of Online Hate Prevention
Australian Jewish News: Social media is the message
SBS World News Australia: Racial abuse caught on smartphone
Jerusalem Post Blogs: Facebook sanctions Antisemitic content
The Algemeiner: YouTube, Google and Apple Take Steps Towards Combating Online Anti-Semitism
The Jewish Press: YouTube Removes Hundreds of Videos in Response to New Report on Online Anti-Semitism
JWire: Hate Prevention Institute meets with Success
The Australia Jewish News: YouTube ‘too slow’ on hate videos
Arutz Sheva: YouTube ‘Too Slow’ Taking Action Against Hate Videos
SBS News: Racist Memes spark calls for online ombudsman
The Jewish Press: Charge: Facebook Pages Spew Blood Libels, Attack Jews and Aborigines, Mock Anne Frank
Australian Jewish News: Facebook Forced to Pull Hate Page
Polskie Radio: Poland fights against xenophobia
SBS World News: Racial abuse caught on smartphone
Australian Jewish News: The social media is the message
Arutz Sheva: Anti-Semitism in Social Media Includes Twitter
The Algemeiner: Algemeiner reports on Companies Action in response to OHPI and ADL
Books
July 1, 2015: How to Combat Online Antisemitism (eBook)
August 8, 2014: Facebook Reporting Guide
Government Submissions & Engagement
OHPI also produces submissions for governments and white papers for the industry.
January 31, 2017: Evidence given when appearing before the Freedom of Speech / S18C Inquiry
December 9, 2016: Submission to Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Right’s Inquiry into Freedom of Speech (and S18C)
December 14, 2015: OHPI joins All Together Now for #silencetheracists campaign
December 2, 2015: Presentation in the UN (New York)
November 25, 2015: OHPI at the JCCV Award Night
November 25, 2015: OHPI attends JCCV AGM
October 14, 2015: Minister Robin Scott commends OHPI’s work
August 31, 2015: OHPI attends the ADC Gandel annual oration
August 30, 2015: OHPI invites you to a guided tour of Anne Frank Exhibition
August 13, 2015: Governance of NGOs conference
August 9, 2015: OHPI attends Community Leadership Conference
August 4, 2015: Talk on Online Hate to B’nai B’rith’s Raoul Wallenberg Unit
July 8, 2015: OHPI participates in ASLA panel discussion
July 16 & 17, 2015: Attending the Advancing Community Cohesion conference
June 7, 2015: OHPI presents at Limmud Oz
May 12-14, 2015: 12th biennial Seminar on antisemitism
April 20, 2015: Talk at La Trobe University
April 13, 2015: OHPI’s CEO wins Jewish Changemakers Award
March 10, 2014: OHPI’s Submission to the Australian government on Online Safety
April 30, 2014: RDA and Freedom of Speech
April 17, 2015: Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs responds to OHPI Report
March 23, 2015: OHPI at the first Official Jewish-Muslim Dinner in Victoria
March 20, 2015: Attorney-General Responds to OHPI Report
Videos
August 19, 2014: What does Online Hate Prevention Institute (OHPI) Do?
July 14, 2014: Lady Diamond explains what Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act really means
June 16, 2014: Meet Lady Diamond, anti-Hate campaigner at the Online Hate Prevention Institute
September 2, 2013: Stop Racism & Online Hate with OHPI
Community Engagement
November 30, 2015: OHPI at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s AGM
November 25, 2015: OHPI at FWD 2015
November 25, 2015: OHPI at the JCCV Award Night
November 25, 2015: OHPI attends JCCV AGM
November 18, 2015: OHPI represented at a national conference on multiculturalism
November 16, 2015: OHPI interviewed by SBS Urdu
August 9. 2015: OHPI attends the Community Leadership Conference
August 4, 2015: Talk on Online Hate to B’nai B’rith’s Raoul Wallenberg Unit
July 16, 2015: Attending the Advancing Community Cohesion conference
July 28, 2015: OHPI at the IREA Eid Dinner
June 26, 2015: OHPI attends the Iftar Dinner at the Victorian State Parliament
June 7, 2015: OHPI presents at Limmud Oz
June 5, 2015: 12th biennial Seminar on antisemitism
May 10, 2015: OHPI presents FightAgainstHate.com at conference on antisemitism at the Tel Aviv University
May 4, 2015: OHPI offers its assistance to the Victorian government to tackle threats and strengthen harmony
April 20, 2015: Talk at La Trobe University
April 13, 2015: OHPI’s CEO wins Jewish Changemaker Award
March 23, 2015: OHPI at the first Official Jewish-Muslim Dinner in Victoria
March 15, 2015: OHPI attends RDA@40
February 19&20, 2015: Community Consultation on RDA
Feb 9, 2015: OHPI attends the World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Victorian Parliament
Feb 9, 2015: Talk at the Council of Christians and Jews
Feb 9, 2015: Talk at North Eastern Jewish Centre
February 5, 2015: World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Victorian Parliament
November 24, 2014: OHPI participates in the AGM of JCCV
October 29, 2015: OHPI in a seminar on social media and the law
Oct 26, 27, 2014: OHPI at the Facing Today’s Reality Seminar in New Zealand
September 6, 2014: Presenting Fight Against Hate to FECCA
August 21, 2015: Talk on Cyber-Racism & Social Media
Newsletters
July 28, 2015 – Reclaiming Australia from bigots