Australia’s Online Safety Chief Faces Death Threats

(MENAFN) Australia’s leading online safety regulator has disclosed that she was subjected to death threats and extensive online abuse after the introduction of a disputed social media restriction, according to a news agency on Wednesday.

Julie Inman Grant, who leads the nation’s eSafety Commission, stated that the hostility escalated following the announcement of new measures that postpone children’s access to social media platforms until the age of 16.

Within a day of public criticism from Elon Musk—who referred to her as a “censorship commissar”—approximately 75,000 online posts were aimed at her, with most being characterized as harmful, abusive, and potentially containing death threats.

During a gender equality conference alongside former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Inman Grant explained that she had been doxed, exposed to deepfake content, and subjected to abuse based on her gender.

"My issue is when they dox my children and my family members ... it makes you sit back and go, am I putting my family and my kids in danger, and how do I protect them?"

She voiced worry that threats were extending beyond herself to her family, raising concerns about how to guarantee their protection.

The commissioner cautioned that as more women assume senior regulatory and leadership positions, similar to elected officials, they may increasingly require official security measures. She highlighted that while politicians often benefit from government-provided protection, regulators do not currently have equivalent safeguards.

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