From Research to Accountability: How an Erase Indifference Challenge Project Reached Australia's Highest Public Inquiry

In June 2026, a project supported through the Erase Indifference Challenge 2023 reached an extraordinary milestone. Research funded through the Challenge was referenced during the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Australia — the country's highest level of public inquiry established in response to growing concerns about antisemitism and social cohesion following the Bondi Junction terrorist attack.

The project, Demonetizing Online Antisemitism – Combatting Advertiser Indifference to Jew-Hatred with Brand Safety, was developed by CyberWell to investigate how online platforms monetize antisemitic content and how existing moderation systems often fail to respond effectively to reports of hate speech.

Based on an analysis of more than 300 user-reported YouTube videos in English and Arabic, the research demonstrated how advertising revenue can unintentionally incentivize the production of harmful content while exposing significant gaps in platform enforcement and accountability.

The impact of this work extended far beyond the publication of a report.

During the Royal Commission proceedings, Nicholas Bender SC, representing the Australian Jewish community, relied on CyberWell's research while cross-examining Rachel Lord, Senior Manager for Government Affairs and Public Policy at YouTube Australia and New Zealand. The findings helped inform questions about how social media platforms respond to user reports of antisemitic content and highlighted the need for stronger moderation practices and greater corporate accountability.

For the Erase Indifference, this moment demonstrates exactly why the Erase Indifference Challenge exists: to support practical, evidence-based initiatives capable of influencing real-world decisions and creating systemic change.

Research that began as a Challenge-winning project became part of a national conversation at the highest level of government, contributing to efforts aimed at improving digital safety and addressing online antisemitism through stronger public oversight and institutional accountability.

Seeing an initiative supported through the Erase Indifference Challenge 2023 contribute to such an important public process is a powerful reminder that well-designed social innovation can have an impact far beyond its original scope.

Projects like CyberWell's show that challenging indifference is not only about raising awareness. It is also about producing credible evidence, engaging decision-makers, and ensuring that institutions respond more effectively when human dignity and equal rights are at stake.