In the wake of the recent attack on Sydney bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, social media companies, including X (formerly known as Twitter), are under scrutiny for their handling of content related to the incident. The Australian eSafety commissioner has engaged with major platforms, urging them to remove content that could exacerbate tensions or promote violence. Specifically, the office has targeted class one content, which includes material likely to incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence.
X has revealed that it received a demand from the eSafety commissioner to take down posts referencing the attack on the Christian Bishop or face hefty fines of $785,000 per day. However, X has refused to comply with the request, asserting that the posts in question did not violate its rules on violent speech. Instead, the company intends to challenge the demand in court, arguing that it exceeds the commissioner’s authority and threatens free speech principles.
Federal government minister Mark Butler has emphasized Australia’s commitment to ensuring social media platforms are safe spaces and has indicated the country’s willingness to challenge tech giants like X in court. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has criticized X for its response, accusing the company of irresponsibility in controlling the spread of misinformation and harmful content.
Meanwhile, X’s owner, Elon Musk, has weighed in on the issue, referring to the eSafety commissioner as “the Australian censorship commissar.” The government, represented by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has reiterated the expectation that social media companies operating in Australia comply with the law and promptly remove harmful content.
As the debate continues, the Office of the eSafety Commissioner is considering further regulatory action, while the government remains steadfast in its determination to hold social media companies accountable for protecting the community from harmful content.
