Young men fuel online hate in vicious cycle, new survey shows
Almost 2 per cent of Australians admitted to online hate in 2024. That was up from 1.4 per cent two years earlier.
Young men under 35 are the most common perpetrators of online hate. This is according to a survey of almost 10,000 Australians by the Australian Institute of Criminology.
About 170 respondents admitted to doing online hate. People who do online hate are more likely to be impulsive.
They also hold biased attitudes. They engage in other harmful behaviour online.
Researchers found a clear pattern. More than half of online hate perpetrators had themselves experienced hate speech before.
One third had been harassed online in the year up to the survey. People exposed to hate and harmful online environments often become part of a damaging cycle.
Social disconnection and exposure to extreme content play a role.
- About 170 of 10,000 surveyed
- Survey respondents admitting hate
- More than half had experienced hate speech
- Previously victimised
Why it mattersUnderstanding the profile of online hate creators helps. Communities and platforms can target prevention and support strategies more effectively.
AustraliaAustralian online safety organisations and platforms can use this data to design better interventions, and parents and schools gain insight into risk factors for young people.
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