Australian Federal Police warn of ‘extremist poison’ on social media platforms

Australia’s top cop has hit out at social media companies saying they endanger children and fuel hate and community division by refusing to stamp out “extremist poison”.

Australia’s top cop says social media companies are endangering children and fuelling hate and community division by refusing to stamp out “extremist poison” on their platforms.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw has accused tech giants like Meta and X of allowing rampant misinformation and disinformation, sexual exploitation and extortion of young people and other criminal activity to flourish unchecked due to their “indifference” or even “defiance” of law enforcement efforts.

Mr Kershaw will warn the nation’s children and other vulnerable people are being “bewitched online by a cauldron of extremist poison on the open and dark web,” in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday.

“Social media companies are refusing to snuff out the social combustion on their platforms,” he said.

“Instead of putting out the embers that start on their platforms, their indifference and defiance is pouring accelerant on the flames.”

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw says social media platforms are fuelling community division. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Kershaw will point to the false information that spread online in the wake of stabbing attacks in a Bondi shopping centre and separately at a Sydney church as illustrative of the community harms.

“Our respected leaders of faith tell us how the interpretation of religion is being purposely distorted on social media,” he said.

“Because of this, their communities and religious beliefs are tarnished and blamed for violent acts carried out by those who have been radicalised.”

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has been urged to work with police to stamp out rampant crime online. Picture: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw has left the door open to workshop spolutions with Elon Musk and his platform X. Picture: AFP

Mr Kershaw will say his door remains open to tech chief executives like billionaire Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to address the growing harms stemming from their platforms.

“I know we can find common ground because, put simply, tech is supposed to make our lives easier and safer, and not the opposite,” he will say.

In a warning to parents and carers, Mr Kershaw will say teaching children about “digital-world deceivers” is the modern equivalent to warning kids about “stranger danger”.

“We need to constantly reinforce that people are not always who they claim to be online; and that also applies to images and information,” he will say.

“Another example is how criminals, pretending to be someone else, use social media to trick youth into sending intimate images of themselves, and then blackmail them for money.

“Fearing their images will be sent to loved ones, young people have taken their lives.”

The AFP has criticised end-to-end encryption on Meta platforms limiting their ability to seek justice for victims of crime. Picture: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP

Mr Kershaw will claim there is “no absolute right to privacy” when it comes to end-to-end encryption being used by criminals to hide their illegal activity.

“People expect to have their privacy protected just like they expect police to do their job once a crime has been committed against them, or a loved one,” he will say.

“That expectation includes being able to respond and bring offenders before the justice system.

“As Commissioner, I am focused on ensuring there are no criminal safe havens.”