Islamophobic abuse in Australia remains high years after major crises: study
A major study has found that Islamophobic abuse in Australia remained significantly elevated since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza
MELBOURNE, Australia (MNTV) — A major new study has found that Islamophobic abuse in Australia has remained significantly elevated since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in 2023, with researchers warning that online hatred directed at Muslims is becoming increasingly entrenched and more closely connected to events occurring in everyday life, reports The Conversation.
The findings come from research by the Tackling Hate Lab.
Researchers analyzed more than two million Australian social media posts, primarily from X, formerly Twitter, alongside hundreds of verified incidents of vandalism, harassment, and violence targeting Muslim Australians between 2021 and 2026.
According to the study, anti-Muslim hate online rose sharply after Oct. 7, 2023. Researchers found that identity attacks targeting Muslims increased from an average of 2.8 posts per day before Oct. 7 to 42 posts per day in the following year.
However, the most dramatic increase occurred after the 2024 Bondi Junction stabbing attack. In the week following the incident, identity attacks directed at Muslims surged to an average of 1,323.3 posts per day.
Although the volume later declined, it remained substantially elevated at around 224.4 posts per day during the following month.
Researchers said the persistence of the increase was one of the study’s most significant findings. “The biggest surprise was not that hate increased. It was that the increase persisted,” the report stated.
To ensure the findings were not dependent on a single definition of hate speech, the research team used multiple measurement methods. These included Google’s Perspective API to identify identity-based attacks and the artificial intelligence model Qwen to determine whether posts targeted Muslims, Palestinians, Jews, Israelis, or Zionists.
The researchers also developed a specialized AI model designed to reflect how Australian Muslim and Jewish communities perceive online hate. While the size of the increases varied depending on the methodology used, every approach revealed the same long-term trend.
“The same trend appeared regardless of how we measured hate,” the researchers noted, adding that Oct. 7 altered the baseline level of hostility, while the Bondi attack triggered an unprecedented surge in anti-Muslim abuse.
Beyond documenting the growth of online hatred, the study examined the relationship between digital abuse and incidents occurring in Australian communities.
Researchers found that online and offline hate have become increasingly interconnected. Before October 2023, hostile online discussions and real-world incidents often occurred independently. Since then, attacks targeting Muslims and other minority communities have been far more likely to trigger waves of online hostility.
The study found that every verified offline incident of anti-Muslim hate generated an average of about 12 additional hateful posts online. Researchers said media coverage of such incidents often created opportunities for a minority of users to spread abuse, conspiracy theories, and inflammatory commentary through social media platforms.
As a result, the report argues that online and offline hate can no longer be treated as separate issues. Instead, they now form part of a reinforcing cycle in which real-world events generate digital hostility, which can further deepen social tensions.
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