Sydney, Australia – Tech mogul Elon Musk is facing off against Australian authorities over the regulation of content on his social media platform X. The Australian federal court has issued an order to hide posts containing violent footage from a recent stabbing incident at a Sydney church on Musk’s platform. The eSafety commissioner sought this injunction urgently to prevent users from accessing the graphic content globally.
In response to the court order, Musk took to his personal X account to criticize the Australian Prime Minister and the eSafety commissioner. Musk posted a cartoon depicting his platform as a path to “freedom” and “truth,” contrasting it with a path of “censorship” and “propaganda.” This move by Musk comes amidst a legal battle with Australian authorities over the dissemination of violent content on X.
The court order follows a previous directive to X and Meta from the eSafety commissioner to remove material depicting “gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail.” The controversial content in question was footage of a stabbing incident at a church in Sydney that occurred during a livestreamed service.
During a court hearing, the eSafety commissioner’s barrister argued that X had not done enough to prevent the continued circulation of the violent video. Musk’s company raised concerns about free speech and jurisdictional issues in response to the takedown order, labeling the commissioner’s actions as “unlawful and dangerous.”
Despite efforts by Musk’s legal team to postpone the matter and seek further instructions, the interim order to suppress the footage on X was granted. The case is set to return to court for a discussion on a permanent suppression order. The ongoing legal battle highlights the complex relationship between social media platforms, free speech, and regulatory authorities in the digital age.