Impulsive young men most likely to spread online hate

Detailed summary

Calls for tougher tech laws and algorithmic accountability are growing after research found young, disconnected men are most likely to perpetrate online abuse.

An impulsive, radicalised man aged under 35 is most likely to be perpetrating online hate in Australia, new research has found.

The findings, released by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), add to growing concerns of how online abuse is impacting marginalised communities and women in positions of power.

The AIC surveyed 9,951 Australian adults online at the end of 2024 and found 1.7 per cent had subjected others to online hate, an increase from 1.4 per cent in 2022.

Three quarters (74.7 per cent) of them were men, while one quarter were women.

Two-thirds of those who admitted to perpetrating online hate were aged under 35, and 77.1 per cent lived in metropolitan parts of Australia.

They were also more likely to be impulsive, have viewed fringe or radical content online, more likely to hold prejudicial attitudes and engage in antisocial online behaviours such as harassment, hacking or phishing.

They were also more likely to spend less time connecting with people in person, and more likely to have experienced online harm themselves.

The research highlighted how exposure to hate and harmful online environments can become part of a damaging cycle, AIC deputy director Dr Rick Brown said.

"Behind online hate is often a complex mix of impulsivity, harmful attitudes, social disconnection, victimisation and broader antisocial behaviour," he said.

Opening of the article, excerpted from AAP. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.