Elon Musk, the Tesla billionaire and owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has launched a scathing attack against the Australian government over a court order directing his platform to block users from accessing violent footage related to a recent stabbing incident at a Sydney church.
On Monday evening, the Australian Federal Court ordered X to hide posts containing videos of the stabbing that occurred last week at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley. The order came after the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, filed an urgent court case seeking an injunction against X for failing to remove the graphic footage within the stipulated 24-hour timeframe.
Reacting to the court's decision, Musk took to his personal X account to criticize the Australian government's move. He posted a cartoon depicting X as a path to "freedom" and "truth," contrasted with an alternative path labeled "censorship" and "propaganda." Above the cartoon, Musk wrote, "Don't take my word for it, just ask the Australian PM!"
Musk also reshared a post highlighting a quote from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in which he discussed how most social media sites had responded positively to the requests to block the violent footage. However, Musk added the words "for censorship" to Albanese's quote and claimed that the prime minister had taken time to "advertise for Elon."
"I'd like to take a moment to thank the PM for informing the public that this platform is the only truthful one," Musk wrote, sarcastically.
The court order came after X, along with Meta (Facebook's parent company), was directed by the eSafety Commissioner last Tuesday to remove the material deemed to depict "gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail" within 24 hours or potentially face fines.
During the court hearing, the barrister for eSafety, Christopher Tran, argued that the "graphic and violent" video remained online on X, causing "irreparable harm" if it continued to circulate. Tran contended that X should shield the footage from all users, not just Australians.
X's legal representative, Marcus Hoyne, urged the court to postpone the matter, citing the need to seek "sensible and proper instructions" from his San Francisco-based client. However, the court granted the interim order sought by the eSafety Commissioner, suppressing the footage to all users on X until at least Wednesday afternoon.
The case will return to court on Wednesday for further arguments regarding a permanent suppression order.
Musk's attack on the Australian government and his defiant stance highlight the ongoing tensions between tech giants and governments over issues of content moderation, free speech, and online safety.