PM says social media algorithms push misogynistic content onto young Australians

Australians must have a “real discussion” about the impact of social media algorithms pushing misogynistic content at young boys and normalising anti-women attitudes, Anthony Albanese says.

Australians must have a “real discussion” about the impact of social media algorithms pushing misogynistic content at young boys and normalising anti-women attitudes, Anthony Albanese says.

Ahead of an urgent national cabinet meeting on Wednesday where state and territory leaders will discuss the domestic violence “crisis,” the Prime Minister has warned governments alone can’t tackle the attitudinal problems fuelling the “scourge”.

Mr Albanese said online content that promoted harmful views of women was a “global problem requiring both tougher regulation and greater “public discourse” to combat.

“I know when I talk with parents, they’re really concerned about what their young sons and daughters are getting access to, about the impact it has,” he said.

The PM said while long term changes were needed to drive down Australia’s shocking rate of domestic and family violence, frontline services must be adequately funded to deal with the caseload in the immediate future.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold a national cabinet meeting about domestic and family violence on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

With at least 28 women allegedly killed by a current or former partner in Australia so far this year, Mr Albanese said a key focus of the national cabinet meeting would be how to replicate “best practice” policies and support systems between states and territories.

“The reason why we’re all coming together is because we’re united, as I think the overwhelming majority of Australians, we want to address what is a national crisis,” he said.

During the virtual meeting Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan will present on how her state has implemented its own royal commission findings, while South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is expected to present a paper on domestic and family violence issues.

Mr Albanese said the statistics — including that on average a woman has been allegedly killed by a current of former partner every four days so far in 2024 — did not tell the “real story” of the wider impact of abuse.

“This is about individual women suffering, in the worst cases murder, but also domestic violence, coercive control, the kids who witnessed that behaviour can also be traumatised … and our society as a whole suffers from this scourge,” he said.

He urged men to be prepared to “call out bad behaviour” when they see it.

“This is … complex and requires governments at all levels, … everyone in the media, everyone in our entire society to be involved here because it requires a change in behaviour,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he wishes No More! event organiser Sarah Williams well. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Asked about the fallout from the weekend’s “No More” anti-violence rally in Canberra where the PM was accused of lying to the crowd about whether he had previously been invited to speak, Mr Albanese tried to move on from the incident.

“With regards to (rally organiser) Sarah (Williams), I wish her well,” he said.

“People can see the video for themselves, they can see what was said and they can see what people didn’t say.”

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says the government is concerned about ‘misogynistic rubbish’ being pushed on social media. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the pleas of Australians, including the tens of thousands who gathered at anti-violence rallies over the weekend, were “not falling on deaf ears”.

Within her portfolio she said Labor was particularly focused on addressing concerns that algorithms are promoting harmful gendered content to young Australians.

“People are very frustrated by the power of the (social media) platforms, like recommender systems that are pushing misogynistic rubbish to young boys,” she said.

Ms Rowland said the government was also working to address tech facilitated gender-based violence and abuse.

“We have as a Government given the dating app industry until the middle of this year to develop a Code, one that would be overseen by the eSafety Commissioner and we are pursuing that,” she said.

“We expect that to be completed in the next few months.”

In a joint letter sent on Monday, 11 crossbench MPs urged Mr Albanese to treat gender-based violence with the same level of urgency as acts of terrorism.

“The fact is that women, and children, are being terrorised across our nation,” the letter said.

The MPs highlight potential responses such as mandatory sentencing, consequences for breaching AVOs, electronic monitoring, abolishing the admission of ‘good character’ references and a National Domestic Violence Register.

1800RESPECT

Originally published as PM says social media algorithms push misogynistic content onto young Australians