(Bloomberg) — Elon Musk’s social network X received an injunction from an Australian court to remove images of a knife attack, sparking a furious response from the owner who accused the government of censorship.
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At a hearing on Monday night in Sydney, the Federal Court of Australia ordered X to withhold all recordings of a terrorist attack at a church in the city on April 15 until Wednesday. The court will then convene a second hearing at a later date to determine the validity of the eSafety Commissioner’s removal notice.
In response to the decision, Musk posted an image suggesting that X was the only social media site that defended free speech, while also saying that the Australian government did not have the right to censor content in other countries.
“Our concern is that if any country is allowed to censor content for all countries, which is what the Australian ‘E-Security Commissioner’ is demanding, then what is to stop any one country from controlling the entire Internet?” Musk said in a post to X on Monday night.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said no one was above the law and branded the tech entrepreneur “arrogant” and out of touch.
“This is a guy who chose ego and shows violence over common sense. I think Australians will shake their heads when they think this billionaire is prepared to go to court fighting for the right to sow division and show violent videos that are very distressing,” Albanese said in an interview with Sky News on Tuesday.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has ordered social media companies including X and Meta Platforms Inc. – operator of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram – to remove graphic videos showing the stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church last week. However, while some agreed, an X spokesperson said in a public statement that the commissioner “does not have the authority to dictate what content X users can view globally.”
The refusal sparked a furious backlash from Australian lawmakers and renewed calls for broader restrictions aimed at social media companies, including anti-misinformation laws flagged by the Australian government last year.
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