The ABC has launched an urgent security review after a hacker briefly commandeered the ABC News Facebook page, swapping in sexually suggestive images and an unflattering photo of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before administrators regained control. The broadcaster moved to contain the embarrassing social media breach following a string of posts from the hacker featuring porn performers and a suggestive image of the prime minister were sent to the broadcaster’s millions of followers.
The incident unfolded at about 1.20pm on Tuesday, when users noticed the ABC News page’s banner image had been replaced with a risqué photo of British OnlyFans figure Bonnie Blue. Two further images followed in quick succession: a headshot of adult performer and “sexfluencer” Lily Phillips, and a third post depicting Anthony Albanese biting into a long sausage roll or hotdog.
The posts quickly attracted dozens of comments from bewildered users before ABC administrators deleted the content and restored control of the page. Some commenters predicted rival outlets would exploit the misstep, with one writing that “Sky News are gonna have a field day,” while others responded with mocking or puzzled remarks as the images spread.
In a statement, an ABC spokesperson said the breach had been linked to a “compromised staff account”, with the broadcaster now reviewing its protections.
“Earlier today, a compromised staff account resulted in unauthorised access to the ABC News Facebook page, where several images were briefly posted,” the spokesperson said. “Access was quickly secured, the content removed, and an investigation is under way to review and strengthen our security controls.”
The ABC News Facebook page has about 4.9 million followers, amplifying the visibility of the hack even though the offensive posts were removed within minutes.
The intrusion also dragged the broadcaster into a tabloid-adjacent online swirl around Bonnie Blue, who made headlines last year after claiming she slept with 1,057 men in 12 hours — a claim that prompted scrutiny and was later examined in a Channel 4 documentary that followed her for six months. In 2024, she had her Australian visa cancelled after advertising plans to attend Schoolies events to meet “barely legal” teenagers.
The ABC incident comes amid a broader recalibration of the public broadcaster’s social media strategy. In 2023, the ABC scaled back its presence on X, closing most individual program accounts as it shifted resources to other platforms including TikTok and Instagram. The broadcaster recently hired nine creators from more than 550 applications for a creator program designed to build content for emerging audiences.
Despite that shift, Facebook remains a major distribution channel. ABC News, billed as Australia’s most trusted news organisation, is also the country’s most popular digital news site with a monthly audience of 12.9 million, according to Ipsos Iris data.
Separately, the ABC has faced recent embarrassment on air. Days earlier, an unrelated production error on the network’s Weekend Breakfast program went viral after US comedian Gianmarco Soresi’s wide-eyed face unexpectedly appeared on screen during an interview with World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee — a clip Soresi said was a reminder to “Always be camera ready”.
