[KARAH RUCKER]

CAN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FORCE X TO CENSOR CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS –

OR DOES X HAVE THAT DISCRETION.

THAT’S THE QUESTION IN THE LATEST FREE SPEECH DEBATE.

BUT THIS DEBATE – STANDS OUT – WITH ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE.

AUSTRALIA ISN’T JUST ASKING X TO BLOCK CERTAIN POSTS FROM BEING SEEN IN THEIR COUNTRY.

BUT THEY’RE DEMANDING X BAN POSTS **WORLDWIDE SO **NOBODY CAN SEE THEM.

POSTS THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS REMOVED FROM X?

VIDEOS OF A BISHOP BEING VICIOUSLY STABBED IN THE FACE AND NECK.

THE ATTACK – NOW LABELED AS A TERRORIST ATTACK – WAS CAPTURED ON THE CHURCH’S **LIVESTREAM. THEN SHARED ONLINE.

AUSTRALIA’S “E-SAFETY” COMMISSIONER WAS QUICK TO ACT.

ASKING SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS TO BLOCK THE VIDEO FROM APPEARING IN AUSTRALIA.

X RELUCTANTLY COMPLIED.

SOON AFTER – AUSTRALIA’S “E-SAFETY COMMISSIONER” EXTENDED THAT REQUEST TO BAN THE VIDEO FROM BEING SEEN **GLOBALLY ACROSS ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS.

AN AUSTRALIAN JUDGE ORDERED X TO COMPLY AND BLOCK IT.

IN A POST ON ITS OWN PLATFORM –

X SAYS “THIS WAS A TRAGIC EVENT AND WE DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO PRAISE IT OR CALL FOR FURTHER VIOLENCE. THERE IS A PUBLIC CONVERSATION HAPPENING ABOUT THE EVENT, ON X AND ACROSS AUSTRALIA, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WHEN EVENTS OF MAJOR PUBLIC CONCERN OCCUR.

WHILE X RESPECTS THE RIGHT OF A COUNTRY TO ENFORCE ITS LAWS WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION, THE E-SAFETY COMMISSIONER DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DICTATE WHAT CONTENT X’S USERS CAN SEE GLOBALLY. WE WILL ROBUSTLY CHALLENGE THIS UNLAWFUL AND DANGEROUS APPROACH IN COURT. GLOBAL TAKEDOWN ORDERS GO AGAINST THE VERY PRINCIPLES OF A FREE AND OPEN INTERNET AND THREATEN FREE SPEECH EVERYWHERE.”

AS THINGS STAND –

THE VIDEO FOOTAGE HAS BEEN SUPPRESSED FROM **ALL X USERS UNTIL THE COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS OVER THE BANNED FOOTAGE.

HOWEVER – HIGHER UPS IN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ARE BERATING ELON MUSK FOR CHALLENGING THEIR ORDER IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA SAID

“We’ll do what’s necessary to take on this arrogant billionaire who thinks he’s above the law, but also above common decency. The idea that someone would go to court for the right to put up violent content on a platform shows how out of touch Mr. Musk is.”

THE PRIME MINISTER WENT ON TO SAY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS COMPLIED.

TO WHICH ELON MUSK POSTED ON HIS X ACCOUNT – 

“I’D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE PRIME MINISTER FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC THAT THIS PLATFORM IS THE ONLY TRUTHFUL ONE.”

WHILE ELON MUSK IS IN THE MIDST OF MANY FREE SPEECH LEGAL BATTLES WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS THAT WE’VE COVERED HERE AT S-A-N  –

THOSE REVOLVE AROUND ORDERS TO BAN CONTENT FROM WITHIN ITS OWN COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE FIRST WHERE A COUNTRY IS ASKING FOR A GLOBAL BAN.

THE CONTENT AT HAND – AGREEABLY GRUESOME.

BUT CONTROVERSIAL.

AS ONE SIDE ARGUES ITS A MATTER OF FREE SPEECH.

AND THE OTHER SAYS ITS A MORAL ISSUE.