Anti-Semitism probe turns to big tech, role of media
The survivor of the Bondi attacks, which became the center of online conspiracy theories, and a member of one of Australia’s richest families is among the witnesses at the royal commission on Monday.
The national anti-Semitism investigation is reopening publicly this week after tensions behind closed doors focused on security issues.
Over the next two weeks, commissioners will be trained on the role of the media – particularly the ABC and SBS – and the nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism and other hate speech on social media.
Arsen Ostrovsky knows firsthand how social media can amplify disinformation from his experiences after December 14, 2025.
Separated from his family who fled to the beach, Mr. Ostrovsky was shot in the head and lay on the grass covered in blood, fearing for his life at the targeted Hanukkah celebration.
As ABC reported, a photo of a bleeding scalp and another receiving medical treatment became part of a conspiracy campaign to deny the attacks took place.
Mr Ostrovsky will be the first of six witnesses to give evidence on Monday, along with Steven Lowy, son of business tycoon Sir Frank Lowy.
Another is Israeli-Australian writer Lee Kofman, who founded a WhatsApp group of Jewish artists and creators.
In a highly contentious act, members of this group accused of targeting pro-Palestinian advocates had a transcript of their discussions leaked in 2024.
Ben Cohen, understood to be the man mistakenly named by Sunrise as the perpetrator of the 2024 Bondi Junction stabbing, and two others listed under pseudonyms will also testify.
Social media giant Meta, which owns and operates popular platforms and messaging services such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Threads, confirmed it will go before commissioners in the coming days.
A 2024 study by the Melbourne-based Online Hate Prevention Institute (OHPI), which studies anti-Semitism and other hate speech, found a five-fold increase in anti-Semitic content on social media in the months after Hamas’ October 7 attack.
The degree of violence varied across platforms; three identified “particularly concerning” levels of incitement to violence: Facebook, X and the little-known far-right platform Gab.
The royal commission held its first three-week hearings in May and heard evidence from many witnesses, including school children who said they had experienced anti-Semitism from friends.
