Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, issued the following statement:
“We are pleased that Gumtree listened to our concerns and immediately shut down the account of this user who was selling items that celebrate Nazism and racism. At a time when antisemitism is on the rise in Australia, we should all be alarmed by a newly emboldened and energised white supremacist movement that is redoubling its efforts across the nation in an unprecedented outreach campaign to rally people to their radical cause. No company should offer a platform to individuals promoting genocide, the dehumanization of minorities and violence. As the massacres in Christchurch, Halle, El Paso, San Diego and Pittsburgh demonstrated, exterminationist ideologies, as represented by these items, often lead to real-life atrocities. All companies have a moral responsibility to never allow themselves to become enablers of hate, and must be very vigilant in ensuring that those who wish to feed the fires of bigotry and gain access to the large audience that visits their sites are blocked. We call on Gumtree to conduct a comprehensive review so as to ensure that any materials that glorify extermination and murder, and which stoke the embers of intolerance, are removed and those posting them are banned.”
STATEMENT BY GUMTREE
Gumtree has zero tolerance for offensive content. The safety and security of our community is our number one priority. Gumtree is a community marketplace and we rely on our users’ feedback to keep the site friendly, safe and relevant for everyone. Gumtree will remove any reported ads which breach our policies, including the sale of Prohibited Items, and we strongly encourage users to report concerning, offensive or suspicious ads using the ‘report ad’ button on each listing, or by contact customer service.”