Right-wing extremists are using platforms such as YouTube, PayPal and Buy Me A Coffee to raise money to support their nefarious activities, says the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which is calling for anti-money laundering laws to apply to more technology businesses.
APSI analyst Ariel Bogle wants the federal government to develop a centralised hate crime and statistics database to track and understand the financial activities of extremists operating in Australia.
She is also calling for regulators to consider whether emerging platforms have obligations under laws such as the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“People who are sharing far-right content and are part of these ecosystems are very alive to the risk of being deplatformed and being demonetised,” Ms Bogle said, pointing YouTube, GoFundMe and Buy Me A Coffee, which are already trying to remove far-right content or restrict the capacity for some people to receive donations.
“This ecosystem has grown around them to make sure they’re more resilient and have several funding avenues or broadcast avenues if one is shut down,” she said.
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By Jessica Sier, August 19, 2021, published on The Australian Financial Review
