Australian PM calls Elon Musk an 'arrogant billionaire' in row over attack footage

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has escalated tensions with Elon Musk, labeling the tech mogul an "arrogant billionaire" amid a dispute over X's handling of footage related to a recent church stabbing in Sydney. The feud began when an Australian court instructed X, Musk's social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to hide videos of the attack. While X initially indicated compliance pending a legal challenge, it has since resisted the order, arguing that it falls outside the scope of Australian law.

 

Albanese's criticism of Musk intensified after the tech entrepreneur used memes to accuse the Australian government of censorship. In response, Albanese condemned Musk's behavior, stating that the billionaire seemed to believe he was above the law and common decency.

 

Last week, Australia's eSafety Commissioner threatened hefty fines against X and other social media platforms if they failed to remove the stabbing videos, which police categorized as a terror attack. The commissioner pursued a court injunction after X continued to allow access to the footage from users outside Australia.

 

Expressing his dismay at X's defiance, Albanese emphasized the need for social media platforms to uphold social responsibility. He defended the eSafety Commissioner's actions, asserting that she was acting in the interest of protecting Australians.

 

In his online posts, Musk sarcastically thanked the Prime Minister for highlighting X as the only truthful platform and criticized the eSafety Commissioner, labeling her as the "Australian censorship commissar."

 

The ongoing legal battle between X and the eSafety Commissioner underscores broader concerns about social media platforms' accountability and responsibility in regulating harmful content online. As the dispute continues, both parties are expected to appear in court for further proceedings in the coming days.

 

2024-04-24

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