Adult cyber abuse and online hate – what’s the difference?
It's useful to understand the difference between online hate and adult cyber abuse and learn what eSafety can do to help.
While some online hate may reach the legal threshold of adult cyber abuse that allows eSafety to investigate, not all will. But there are still things you can do to protect yourself and deal with the experience.
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“My ex used my phone to stalk me and kept sending messages saying that I couldn’t hide from him.” |
That's when someone who's 18 or older is targeted with severely abusive online content that's intended to cause them serious physical or mental harm. |
They may be harassed using a phone or anything else connected to the internet. |
Start by saving information. |
If you don't hear back, contact us here at esafety.gov.au. |
WATCH NOW: How eSafety can help you deal with adult cyber abuse
What is adult cyber abuse?
Adult cyber abuse is when the internet is used to send, post or share content that is harmful to the physical or mental health of someone who is 18 or older. It can include posts, comments, emails, messages, memes, images and videos.
The person may be targeted because of their sexual preference, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, disability or another reason.
Examples of adult cyber abuse include:
- threats of violence that make someone fear for their physical safety
- incitement of violence, which encourages other people to make physical threats or pile on
- doxing or revealing a person’s address alongside an allegation that this person has done something really bad and ought to be punished
- purposely targeting a person’s known vulnerabilities - for example, repeatedly 'fat-shaming' a person with a history of anorexia.
Adult cyber abuse should be reported to the app or online service used to send, post or share it. This is often the fastest way to have it removed.
If the app of service doesn't help, the harmful content can be reported to eSafety – if it also meets the legal definition of adult cyber abuse. This means is must be menacing, harassing or offensive and intended to cause someone serious harm.
Find out more about adult cyber abuse and how eSafety can help. You can also download and print the adult cyber abuse quick guide, which is available in more than 10 languages.
What is online hate?
Although there is no internationally agreed legal definition of online hate, it can be described as any kind of online communication that attacks, discriminates, insults or uses hateful language against a person or group based on their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
There are overlaps between adult cyber abuse and online hate, as some online hate may be so serious and threatening to an individual that it meets the definition of adult cyber abuse under the Online Safety Act.
However, one of the key distinctions is that adult cyber abuse must target a specific person, not a broad range or group of people. For example, eSafety cannot act on behalf of an organisation that is experiencing racist or misogynist abuse online, as this abuse is directed at a group rather than a specific person. It also cannot act if online hate makes derogatory claims about, for example, all LGBTIQ+ people or all trans people. In cases like this, the Australian Human Rights Commission may be able to help you.
Examples of online hate can include receiving racist, homophobic or transphobic comments after posting something positive relating to LGBTIQ+ people.
Learn more about online hate and discrimination and how it affects the LGBTIQ+ community.
Get support
QLife
All ages. Counselling and referral for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and/or intersex. Phone counselling and online chat available every day from 3pm to 12am.
Last updated: 14/08/2024
