Warnings kids are exposed to 'extremist poison' online

Calls have been renewed for age verification technology to bar children from some websites. (AP PHOTO)

Australian children are being exposed to "extremist poison" on the internet, Australia's federal police commissioner has said, amid reignited calls for online age verification.

Whether graphic content should remain on social media has become the subject of heated debate as X, formerly Twitter, fights an edict from the eSafety Commissioner to remove content of a stabbing at a Sydney church.

But Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw notes graphic content is readily available across the internet and can have detrimental impacts on young Australians.

"Some of our children and other vulnerable people are being bewitched online by a cauldron of extremist poison on the open and dark web - and that's one serious problem," he told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

"The other is that the very nature of social media allows the extremist poison to spray across the globe almost instantly."

This comes as the social media giant's owner Elon Musk declares a war of words on Australia's politicians, calling independent senator Jacqui Lambie an "enemy of the people" after she called him a "social media knob", and trading jabs with the prime minister who  labelled him an "arrogant billionaire".

Shadow Minister for Communications David Coleman.
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman wants a trial of age verification technology.

Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman has said he would also be happy to go head-to-head with Mr Musk on the issue and has called for a trial of age verification technology.

"It's unacceptable" he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

"We would never have agreed consciously to the situation that we find ourselves in, with young children accessing this sort of distressing material basically every day.

"That's why taking action is so important."

Though many social media sites have age limits of about 13 years old, Mr Coleman said they were almost never enforced and he urged Australia to move towards a mandatory system of age verification.

The online safety watchdog in March 2023 outlined a road map for age verification that first recommends trialling a range of options, noting some technologies like ID-based solutions can exclude those without documents, and facial estimation can be inaccurate.

Mr Coleman noted the technology had advanced immensely since these recommendations were made and pointed to its use in other countries like the UK, and some states in the US.

Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland
Platforms are expected to comply with the eSafety commissioner's orders, Michelle Rowland says.

As X battles the watchdog's takedown notice in Federal Court, it has temporarily geoblocked graphic content of a boy repeatedly stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a sermon.

The eSafety commissioner has argued that geoblocking, rather than a blanket take-down, did not go far enough to comply with its direction.

A spokesperson from the eSafety commissioner clarified that the removal notice did not relate to commentary, public debate or other posts about the event, "even those which may link to extreme violent content", only videos of the specific stabbing event.

Police outside the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakely, Sydney
Authorities declared the stabbing at Christ the Good Shepherd Church a terrorist act.

However, Mr Musk has argued the order to take down posts globally was illegal as the Australian agency could not dictate what overseas users could see and the take-down went against free speech principles.

Additionally, an affadavit from Mr Emmanuel revealed the bishop wants the video of his stabbing to remain online.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland would not comment on jurisdiction while the case was before the court but said the commissioner had "exercised their powers in accordance with a law passed by our parliament".

When questioned on consistency, Ms Rowland said the take-down order targeting the stabbing was different from other graphic content circulating as the April 15 incident had been declared a terrorist attack.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store