Racist Facebook page under investigation by media watchdog

NATIONAL: A Facebook group that features racist portrayals of Aborigines is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

“The ACMA is currently investigating specific URLs that contain the online content… after receiving a complaint yesterday,” an ACMA spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The ACMA is not is a position to provide further comment at this time given that an investigation is under way.”

More than 4,000 people have subscribed to the site, which portrays Aboriginal people as drunks who sniff petrol and bludge on welfare.

It also recently added the words “Controversial Humor” (sic) to its title.

Race Discrimination Commissioner Helen Szoke said if people felt offended by the page they could also complain to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

“In the last three years we have had an increasing number of complaints which related to cyber racism,” Dr Szoke said.

“I have had a look at the images, and I do think they’re quite insulting to Aboriginal people.

“There’s a tipping point between humour and even controversial humour and material that’s just offensive and just insulting.”

Dr Szoke said young people needed to be more educated about the harm that could be caused by misusing social media.

Organisations like Facebook needed stricter standards, she added.

SBS reports the site was created and is maintained by a 16-year-old Perth boy.

Indigenous boxer Anthony Mundine had joined a group of Australians supporting a campaign condemning Facebook over its claims that the page is not considered hate speech, Fairfax reports.

AAP