Elon Musk Calls Out Australia for Censorship After Court Orders X to Remove Violent Video; Australian PM Calls Him an 'Arrogant Billionaire'

Elon Musk blasted Australia's Prime Minister on Tuesday after a judge ordered his social media business, X, to delete footage of a Sydney terrorist incident. Musk said the verdict might allow any nation to control "the entire internet."

During an overnight hearing, Australia's Federal Court ordered X, previously Twitter, to erase posts with videos of the week-old event. The court charged a youngster with terrorism for beating an Assyrian priest and others.

X said it had blocked access to the posts for Australian users, but Australia's e-Safety Commissioner insisted on removing the content owing to its graphic violence.

Elon Musk responded on social media by asking whether the PM should have power over global online content, per Reuters. He also highlighted worries about the Australian eSafety Commissioner's proposal to let any country regulate information for all nations. He cautioned against any nation controlling the internet.

After acquiring X in 2022 to promote free speech, the billionaire tweeted a meme on the site depicting X as a symbol of "free speech and truth," contrasting it with other social media platforms that represented "censorship and propaganda."

South African businessman Elon Musk arrives at the Tenth Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on April 13, 2024.

PM Anthony Albanese: Elon Musk Thinks He's Above The Law

In response to the tech billionaire's criticisms, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized him.
Albanese told ABC News on Tuesday that Elon Musk "thinks he's above the law but also above common decency."

According to the BBC, PM Albanese told a news briefing, "I find it extraordinary that X chose not to comply and are trying to argue their case."

Musk responded on social media by praising the Prime Minister for purportedly confirming his platform was the only true one. He also uploaded a photo showing an X-logoed Wizard of Oz journey to "freedom."

After Elon Musk called eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant the "Australian censorship commissar," Australian PM Anthony Albanese defended Inman Grant by saying she was safeguarding Australians, underscoring the need for social media platforms to be socially responsible, which Elon Musk is failing.

This tension between Musk, the world's third-richest person, and the Australian government marks a new chapter in the continuing conflict between large tech companies, governments, and non-profits attempting to regulate online material.

X To Fight Australia's Censorship

TechTimes previously reported that Elon Musk's X will fight an Australian regulator's order to erase tweets about a Sydney bishop's stabbing.

Bystanders detained a 16-year-old teenager accused of stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a church in the New South Wales capital, according to CCTV evidence. The attacker claimed Emmanuel disrespected Islam.

X's Global Government Affairs section disclosed that the Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered the removal of information related to the Christian bishop's attack. X did not identify the disputed postings, but the regulator warned of daily A$785,000 ($500,000) penalties if the content was not removed.

The social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, stated that the Commissioner's order breached Australian law. Despite cooperating temporarily while awaiting legal action, X stated that the regulator lacked jurisdiction to control global material visibility on its platform. X threatened legal action against an "unlawful and perilous approach."

The regulatory agency's representative assured X that the eSafety Commissioner would ensure X's compliance with Australian law. The agency suggested new regulations based on the scenario.

Social media companies like X received legal letters from the eSafety Commissioner in March for their terrorism-related content management.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's popular social media presence and global following have drawn attention to his controversial views on homosexuality, COVID-19 vaccinations, Islam, and Joe Biden's administration.