Elon Musk described as 'arrogant billionaire' by Australian PM
An Australian federal court has granted a two-day injunction to the country's eSafety commissioner, ordering Elon Musk's X, to hide posts related to a recent stabbing incident in Sydney. The injunction pertains specifically to posts about an attack on Mar Mari Emmanuel, an Assyrian church bishop. Despite this order, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized Musk for not fully complying with the government's request.
Australia-Musk controversy explained
PM Albanese has publicly criticized Musk, referring to him as an "arrogant billionaire." This criticism comes after X, complied with the Australian court's injunction only partially. While the platform blocked the controversial content for its Australian users, it did not do so for users outside the country. X argued that the Australian government had no authority over its global user base.
The posts in question relate to a knife attack
The posts in question relate to a knife attack on Emmanuel, during a church service. Videos of the incident show the attacker being restrained by congregation members, while shouting at Emmanuel for allegedly insulting Islam. A 16-year-old has been charged with a terrorism offense related to this attack. The eSafety commissioner had urged X to remove certain posts that publicly commented on this incident.
Musk expresses concern over internet being controlled by countries
In response to Albanese's criticism, Musk posted an image suggesting that X stands for "free speech and truth," while other social media sites are dictated by "censorship and propaganda." Musk, who purchased X in 2022, expressed concern that if any nation is allowed to censor content for all countries, it could lead to the entire internet being controlled by any country. This marks a new phase in the ongoing conflict between X and those seeking more oversight of its content.
X fined last year over another case
Last year, X was fined A$610,500 by the eSafety Commissioner for failing to cooperate with an investigation into anti-child abuse practices. The penalty is currently being contested in court by X. This previous conflict adds another layer to the ongoing dispute between Musk's platform and Australian authorities. Despite Musk's claim that the attack footage was "inaccessible to Australian IP addresses," a Reuters reporter in Australia was able to view the content.
