Extremists Use 'Codes' and Memes to Evade Online Detection, Royal Commission Hears

Extremists are employing sophisticated tactics, including coded language and memes, to disseminate antisemitic content on social media while evading content moderation, a royal commission has heard. Hannah Rose, an extremism researcher from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, testified that far-right groups are using memes to promote "more palatable" forms of antisemitism that are less likely to be flagged by platform moderators. These methods involve altering words with numbers, using emojis, and embedding coded messages within memes that are only decipherable to those with prior knowledge of the context.

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We see that extremists use different codes, for example they'll change a letter in a word to a number to avoid content moderation.

Rose explained that extremists are adept at operating just below the threshold of illegality and platform terms of service violations. She highlighted that antisemitism is not always explicit and can be inferred, making it harder to detect. The researcher presented findings showing a dramatic surge in antisemitic content following major international events. Specifically, after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, there was a 51-fold increase in antisemitic content on YouTube videos discussing the conflict.

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They'll use emojis, they'll use memes, so a lot of inferred … antisemitism.

The commission also heard about spikes in antisemitic content posted by Australian users in 2025, coinciding with significant geopolitical events. These included the period when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and military bases, and later when the US joined the conflict. Another spike occurred when US conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed, with antisemitic claims based on conspiracy theories linking Israel to the assassination emerging on that day. Rose emphasized the relevance of international events to the Australian context and the need for global cooperation in combating antisemitism.

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[It is] only necessarily identifiable to an individual who knows the context of that meme already and is able to interpret it in that way.