Guerin, Cécile, Davey, Jacob, Peucker, Mario ORCID: 0000-0003-1759-2578 and Fisher, Thomas J (2020) The interplay between Australia's political fringes on the right and left: Online messaging on Facebook. Other. Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies (CRIS), Melbourne, Victoria.

Abstract

This research briefing outlines findings from an analysis of the far-right and far-left Facebook ecosystem in Australia in the first seven months of 2020. It analyses how the far-right and far-left discuss each other on Facebook and how narratives about the other side of the political spectrum shape the online activity of these groups. It also seeks to understand how central discussion about the ‘other side’ is to the far-right and far-left and how it fits within the broader online activities of these movements. The analysis was conducted between 1 January and 31 July 2020 and looked at 43 far-right and 31 far-left Facebook pages, as well as seven far-right and two far-left public groups. This paper is the first in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms. This series is produced by the Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies through the Centre’s research and program Stream 4 ‘Dynamics of Violent Extremism’. Stream 4 is a collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities at Victoria University.

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