Racist Facebook page under investigation

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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8512907/racist-facebook-page-under-investigation

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 4000 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 told AAP.

"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.



http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/technology/facebook-should-ban-racist-page-stephen-conroy-says/story-fn7bfu22-1226446334179

The creator removed content from the Aboriginal Memes Facebook page following a barrage of complaints to Facebook, the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

But Mr Conroy says Facebook itself should have acted to shut down the site.

"I think it's absolutely inappropriate," he told ABC TV on Wednesday.

"This page should be taken down by Facebook.

"We don't live by American laws here in Australia, we live by Australian laws and this is an Australian who is using the fact that Facebook is based in the US to get away from Australian laws."

{SNIP}

Mr Conroy said Facebook had an employee in Australia "and we are in conversation with that employee".

He said in the past court orders had been ignored in the US so the key was obtaining "co-operation" from Facebook.

Organisations like Facebook needed stricter standards, she added.

SBS has reported the racist site was created by a 16-year-old Perth boy.



Similar: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/army-chief-angry-at-racist-facebook-page/story-e6frea73-1226285979995