Australia’s prime minister has labelled X’s owner, Elon Musk, an “arrogant billionaire who thinks he is above the law” as the rift deepens between Australia and the tech platform over the removal of videos of a violent stabbing in a Sydney church.

On Monday evening in an urgent last-minute federal court hearing, the court ordered a two-day injunction against X to hide posts globally containing the footage of the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on 15 April. The eSafety commissioner had previously directed X to remove the posts, but X had only blocked them from access in Australia pending a legal challenge.

Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said Musk was “a bloke who’s chosen ego and showing violence over common sense”.

“Australians will shake their head when they think that this billionaire is prepared to go to court fighting for the right to sow division and to show violent videos,” he told Sky News. “He is in social media, but he has a social responsibility in order to have that social licence.”

“What the eSafety commissioner is doing is doing her job to protect the interests of Australians. And 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,” he said.

  • Auzy@beehaw.org
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    8 months ago

    Which is funny, because Trump targeted our ex Prime Minister (Kevin Rudd). So the left-wingers are doing something right.

      • Auzy@beehaw.org
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        8 months ago

        Huh? The guy who introduced the carbon tax, wanted people to wear masks, and who was in ALP isn’t a left winger?

        The guy who is regularly on friendly jordies isn’t a left winger? The guy who knows how to speak chinese isn’t?

        What do you think he is lol

          • Auzy@beehaw.org
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            8 months ago

            Interesting that you avoided the question entirely.

            So, how would you place them?

            • Taleya@aussie.zone
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              8 months ago

              Dude they literally said. He’s to the right of a centre left party that in itself has steadily been heading right. Different thing to a left winger. Learn gradients.

        • Auzy@beehaw.org
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          8 months ago

          Why? He saved our asses during COVID… I never had any issues with him personally… And, the carbon tax was a good thing