Bundaberg LGBTQIA+ Facebook group shut down without notice amid 'widely reported' removals
Benji Wood and Beven and Robert Davenport say their LGBTQIA+ Facebook page has been shut down without warning. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
In short:
LGBTQIA+ Facebook groups are being removed and pages are being flagged as "at risk" for cybersecurity breaches.
Flagged posts include links to mental health organisations such as Beyond Blue and Headspace.
Researchers say Automated moderation disproportionately affects LGBTQIA+ content and fails to identify implicit hate in anti-queer content.
Online LGBTQIA+ community groups fear they are being "targeted" by social media giant Facebook as accounts are shut down or labelled "at risk".
Bundaberg couple Robert and Beven Davenport and their friend Benji Wood administer the social media group Bundaberg Gays and Surrounds from their home city, which is 400 kilometres north of Brisbane.
The page shared links to mental health organisations and promoted events and services.
Beven Davenport had restrictions placed on his personal Facebook page after the group was removed from the platform. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
Beven said posts were removed last week because they were deemed by Facebook to be "malicious software" that "goes against community standards of cybersecurity".
"We started getting notifications saying the group had been suspended due to malicious malware linking to Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Headspace and Black Dog," he said.
"We put a review [request] in and four hours later they said, 'Your group's closed.'"
The administrators said they had also had restrictions placed on their personal Facebook accounts, leaving them unable to let members know what had happened.
Benji Wood has been helping to build the LGBTQIA+ community in Bundaberg for 13 years. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
"We feel like they are targeting us in particular," Mr Wood said.
Facebook did not respond to the ABC's request for comment.
Queensland Council for LGBTI Health chief executive Rebecca Reynolds said the removal of groups from Facebook was being "widely reported" across Queensland and interstate.
Ms Reynolds said social and online connections were crucial, especially outside cities.
"It fosters belonging, hope and resilience, particularly for vulnerable people like those in our LGBTIQ+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy communities," she said.
"It helps promote fairness, inclusion, and mental wellbeing, strengthening communities, families and friend groups, and reduces isolation."
The Facebook group facilitated community barbecues and posted links to LGBTIQA+ support groups and services. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
Disproportionate removals
Lucinda Nelson is a PhD candidate at the Queensland University of Technology who is researching social media platforms.
A post linking to a support group was removed from a Facebook page for going against community standards.
She said the automated moderation of social media posts disproportionately affected LGBTQIA+ content and that options for recourse were limited.
"We've got two sides to the problem, where there's an over-policing of queer speech and failure to recognise implicit hate in anti-queer speech," Ms Nelson said.
Facebook and parent company Meta have a Facebook Network of Support that brings together six leading LGBTQIA+ advocacy organisations for consultation on queer issues.
But Ms Nelson said that was "lip service".
"I think it's really important, particularly in a sort of climate where there is a lot of anti-queer, anti-trans hate that platforms take a stand and take action on these things," she said.
The administrators of the Bundaberg LGBTQIA+ group said they were reluctant to create a new Facebook page because of fears it would be removed again.
Mr Wood said they had considered other platforms, but Facebook was the most accessible for the group's members.