Social media fuels explosion of hate

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Royal Commission

Jenna Price’s article (“Why Mark Zuckerberg should be dragged in front of this royal commission”, 25/2) looking at how we deal with hate speech rightly points the finger at how social media fuels these flames. The business model of these corporate giants relies on the fact that users have anonymity, and they provide an unregulated environment for anyone to be able to vent any idea without accountability.
Could we not introduce a system that encourages frank and free discussion but insist that users cannot hide behind that anonymity? If you wish to make a claim, then you should have the fortitude to own your statements. Just as protesting neo-Nazis wear masks to deflect scrutiny of their vileness, so too online trolls wear their own masks.
The internet has thrived because of its unregulated nature, but its biggest strength is also a weakness. Is it too much of an imposition to demand that people are accountable for their statements? The Age would not print this letter unless I provided my details, so why should the online world be any different?
We need some courage from lawmakers to be able to demand this fundamental change and demand that users are able to use these services to freely give opinion, but demand that they not hide behind the mask of anonymity.
Michael Flynn, Belgrave

Antisemitism simmers below surface
Jenna Price concludes that royal commissioner Virginia Bell correctly points out that criticism of policies pursued by the government of Israel is not of itself antisemitic. God knows that many Israelis themselves criticise their own government, but when the continuous stream of anti-Zionism is conflated with ″⁣ZioNazis, baby-killers, genocide, apartheid″⁣ etc, it is only a very thin cover of antisemitism that needs to be teased out by the investigations of the Royal Commission.
Charles Freeman, Caulfield South

Good luck with sorting inquiry’s challenges
I strongly believe in the basic principles of equality, freedom of speech and racial tolerance. Jenna Price (25/2), in her article on the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, has clearly stated the difficulties the commission faces in providing solutions to the current challenges to these principles. Like Jenna, I wish the commissioner and her colleagues love and strength to complete their vital work.
Sandra Torpey, Hawthorn

Facebook falls short
Hear, hear, Jenna Price (25/2). The part played by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta (Facebook) in the spread of antisemitism and many other negative things is well-documented in Sarah Wynn-Williams’ book Careless People: A Story Of Where I Used To Work (2025). It’s a horrifying story of power, greed, madness and absolute irresponsibility by one the billionaire creators of social media. Do people realise just how vile a platform it has become?
Don Jordan, Mt Waverley

Antisemitism is easily masked as anti-Zionism
Jenna Price’s article suggests broadening the royal commission to include all kinds of racism, but doesn’t that just defeat the purpose of the commission? The Bondi attack was targeted at Jews. Social cohesion doesn’t occur by saying ″⁣There are other social ills too let’s not concentrate on anti-semitism″⁣.
Also, I think Price is being disingenuous when she says not to conflate Jews with Zionists. The vast majority of Jews are Zionists. That is why antisemitism is easily masked as anti-Zionism.
It’s also a straw man argument to say that Zionist Jews don’t criticise the actions of the Israeli government. In fact, the most popular ″⁣sport″⁣ in Israel is criticising the government!
Michael Fox, Bentleigh

THE FORUM

Rental inequities
There are serious issues if Australia wants to support our population in general if it allows the housing situation to continue. Some people property investors collect properties like some people collect shoes or fashion.
There are not enough rental properties available at the lower-middle end of the market near accessible public transport that single or coupled renters can actually afford.
I recently had to find a new residence quickly, and I am in my fifties. In some cases, there were 20 or more competing renter groups for the same property. I saw many run-down possibilities that I would have needed extra funds to fix to make liveable without proper heating and cooling to work from home.
There shouldn’t be any ability in the system that allows for some people to own 20-30 properties just to offset the rest of the properties they own. There has to be a buck stops here approach once a certain ceiling is reached.
As a starting point, housing must be more equitable for those in the rental market. There will always be investors who can drive up the prices and competition, and it is their choice, it’s just not one of mine.
Nina Ash, Elsternwick

Housing supply myth
Liberal and Labor parties are both suggesting that unaffordable housing can be solved by increasing supply. Australia has reached such a wealth divide that on its own, this won’t work.
The wealthy will simply do what they are already doing and buy more property. The only way to prevent more housing going into the ownership of the already wealthy is to make owning multiple properties less financially attractive.
Apply solid capital gains tax on properties after the family home. Eliminate the various trust perks that enable wealthy parents to buy properties in their children’s names. Ensure that housing can only be owned by residents in Australia.
One of the reasons for Australia’s woeful productivity levels is that our laws encourage investment in property inflation rather than in business development.
Cutting back investment in multiple properties would benefit the rest of the economy by transferring investment to the production sector. But it won’t happen.
Every politician and political candidate should be required by law to disclose their property ownership and this information needs to be known by all voters, especially young voters. It becomes apparent why we have the laws we do.
Michael Fewster, Adelaide, SA

Keep a spare handy
It was good to read ″⁣Electric cars put brakes on emissions″⁣ (25/2). We have owned an electric car for five years and it’s been a pleasure to drive and easy to service – until the end of last year. We have been without the car since early December as it developed an issue with the main battery. This is being covered under warranty, but we are not being given any positive feedback that a new battery is on the way from overseas yet.
When buying an electric car, it would be advisable to ask the company you are buying from if it keeps spare batteries in Australia for moments such as this.
Ruth Hudnott, Canterbury

Passport priorities
I am absolutely amazed at the silence from our Australian government in reaction to the British government devaluing the status of our Australia passport. British-born Australian citizens cannot now enter Britain without a valid British passport.
Their Australian passports are effectively null and void to enter Britain. The status of a passport, its level of universality, is part of the status of a country. Any attempt to reduce that, to devalue the acceptance of that passport is an outright insult to that country.
While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rushes to issue a pointless declaration regarding the status of former Prince Andrew, not a single word of complaint about the damage to the value of our Australian passports. Is our honour as a country worth so little?
Martin Dix, Healesville

UK tax grab
My husband’s father born in Sheffield, England, who died 18 years ago has suddenly become responsible for his Australian-born 78-year-old son to now enter the UK.
Simply put, GBP worldwide revenue greed.
Claire Dodson, Heathmont

PM’s pre-emptive move
Opting for “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” over “innocent until proven guilty”, why did Anthony Albanese feel the need for Australia to be the first cab off the rank of commonwealth countries to call for the former prince to be removed from the line of succession to the throne? Seems a bit pre-emptive.
Claire Merry, Wantirna

Republics not perfect
Amidst the publicity about the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the Australian Greens have called for Australia to become a republic. Prominent republican Craig Foster has too.
We should recall that President Donald Trump leads a republic. It is also the case that a recent president of the republic of France is in prison for breaking the law regarding election funding. A republic is not inherently superior to Australia’s constitutional monarchy.
Alun Breward, Malvern East

Tawdry royals ruin magic
According to Walter Bagehot, the pre-eminent 19th century essayist and propagandist for all things royal, “the monarchy’s mystery is its life, and we must not let in daylight upon magic”.
The appeal of that institution to the public, he argued, was its appeal to the heart rather than the head. Until relatively recently, the late Queen Elizabeth II strove to embody something of the mystical monarchical ideal of her medieval predecessors consistent with Bagehot’s imperative.
Looking back a decade or so, though, it is arguable that the tawdry and self-aggrandising behaviour of the then young royals of the Prince Andrew and egregious ‘Fergie’ ilk began to erode the fragile ‘magic’ invoked by Bagehot.
In 2026, it must sadly be asked: what purpose does the British monarchy serve in modern Australia? As a once-revered role model for constitutional rectitude and humanity, it now fails the vital Aussie ‘pub test’ in all ways.
Crucially, albeit sadly, republicanism has to be this nation’s default option as we move forward.
Jon McMillan, Mornington

Singapore enforces law
Re: “The inside story of how Australia became one of the most lucrative illicit tobacco markets in the world” (19/2). The article mischaracterises Singapore’s approach to illicit tobacco transhipment.
Singapore takes the integrity of our ports and free trade zones (FTZ) seriously. Singapore Customs cooperates closely with international counterparts, including the Australian Border Force (ABF), to detect and act against illicit goods and transhipments, in accordance with our regulatory framework. Illicit tobacco is a complex, transnational issue that requires coordinated action across multiple jurisdictions.
In 2025 alone, intelligence from Singapore Customs led to 15 successful ABF seizures involving 58.9 million sticks of cigarettes; Singapore Customs also seized three million sticks of cigarettes in an FTZ that were allegedly bound for Australia. These outcomes underscore our commitment to combating illicit trade.
Singapore remains committed to sustained international cooperation and will continue to play our part in this collective responsibility.
Anil Nayar, Singapore High Commissioner to Australia, Canberra

Margaret Tighe’s choice
Condolences to Margaret Tighe’s family on her recent death (″⁣Divisive pro-life leader never deviated″⁣, 25/2).
She was a staunch advocate regarding her personal views on many issues but like many who demand that we follow their views at the expense of our own wishes, she often forgot that choice and personal advocacy is often what most people desire.
The changes in legislation regarding abortion and voluntary assisted dying in particular show that having the opportunity to shape and manage our own lives is important. It’s also worth remembering that it is about choice and not a mandatory position for everyone.
Denise Stevens, St Kilda

Doctor communications
Communication between GP, patient and specialist is highly important. ″⁣Lost″⁣ pathology results create administrative problems and delays in treatment. Not a problem at all in France, where results are sent not just to the requesting doctor, but also directly to the person who paid for them – the patient, who can choose to open the envelope or take it with them when next seeing their family doctor.
Problem solved. It also avoids GPs and specialists blaming ″⁣the lab″⁣ for ″⁣delayed″⁣ reports.
Dr Tony Roberts, Merricks Beach

Cafe culture
Alison Fonseca’s article about cafe culture (“My cafe is the best, but coffee has nothing to do with it”, 25/2) reminds me of the history of our migrant population that opened those humble cafes to offer a sense of community when many of them felt deeply isolated coming to a new country.
My favourite cafe “friend” is not only staff but that lovely person who told me my lipstick stain was on my cheek and immediately offered to wipe it off with a napkin.
It’s not just a transaction on coffee to me as a regular, where small talk can lead to civil discussions on global events with genuine warmth and not just robotic customer service.
Jenny Smith, East Melbourne

AND ANOTHER THING

Trump world
The towering Trump tower is to be built on the Gold Coast in the appropriately named Trickett St. The Australian partner in the venture has been declared bankrupt twice (″⁣Questions remain as Eric Trump shares new images of Gold Coast mega-tower″⁣, 25/2). What could possibly go wrong?
April Baragwanath, Geelong

In the name of taste and aesthetics, please let’s not proceed with Eric Trump’s monstrosity, big is not necessarily better.
Greg Bardin, Altona North

It’s all very well for Australians to call for us to be a republic. However, if the model chosen gives the slightest possibility of our president becoming a Trump-like dictator, I won’t vote for it.
Alan Williams, Port Melbourne

Furthermore
Your correspondent (Letters, 25/2) pointed out that Bill Kelty once stated that “our system shouldn’t reward wealth more than it does work”. Wealth is usually the product of hard work and without this incentive to get ahead, why would people choose to work hard?
John Guy, Elsternwick

Dr. Jamal Rifi (″⁣Doctor working to bring home ISIS brides carrying extra passport for ‘lost’ boy jailed in Iraq″⁣, 25/2) says of Minister Tony Burke: ″⁣He does what he needs to do as a minister, and I do as I need to do as a human″⁣. Says it all really.
Vaughan Greenberg, Chewton

I raise a glass (latte) to Alison Fonesca’s appreciation of the coffee makers (Comment, 25/2). My local cafe would score highly in her view. It makes my day as well as my coffee.
Betty Rudin, Wandin North

Re Letters ″⁣Stop blaming others″⁣, 25/2. I don’t think an ″⁣average″⁣ wage gives a realistic picture of the ability to buy a house. It is skewed by a few billionaires. I would be more interested in our median wage, and whether a young couple could manage a HECS debt and raise a family while paying off a 30-year mortgage on a million-dollar house.
Joan Peverell, Malvern

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