Elon Musk Position on X Censorship ‘Absolutely Driving Me Crazy’: Minister

A woman holds a smartphone displaying the logo of US social network X (former Twitter), in Nantes, western France, on November 29, 2023. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP) Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images

Senior Albanese government minister Tanya Plibersek says X owner Elon Musk’s position on censorship is driving her “crazy.”

The minister made the comments amid X Corporation’s battle with Australia’s eSafety commissioner in Federal Court over a global takedown order.

The social media platform was ordered to remove all footage around the world showing a stabbing attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney.

Ms. Plibersek posted a video on X, Facebook, and Instagram explaining that protecting the community is not censorship, in her view.

“This Elon Musk position on censorship on X is absolutely driving me crazy. You know, you cannot show all sorts of things, like child pornography, like people being murdered in the mainstream media,” Ms. Plibersek said.

“What Elon Musk is saying is that he needs to be able to show graphic violent content on the platform or somehow people’s human rights are being infringed.

The Minister argued that preventing the video from being shown again and again is not censorship, but common decency.

“No one is saying that the Wakeley stabbing should not reported. That would be censorship,” she said.

Ms. Plibersek claimed Mr. Musk’s position is all about X’s bottom line and trying to prevent the hemorrhage of users.

“I think there is a bit of common sense and common decency that tells us that showing violent graphic content does not make society better. Ask yourself why does Elon Musk want to show this stuff, it’s about his bottom line.”

X has already complied with the eSafety Commissioner’s order to block the stabbing footage to Australian users but is refusing to have the content taken down globally.

The minister’s video on X received 4,500 comments, 437 reposts, and 724 likes with 300,000 views at the time of writing.

Dutton Agrees Content Can’t Be Censored Globally

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton supported Elon Musk’s position that Australia cannot censor the entire world during an interview on April 26.

However, he supports the eSafety Commissioner ordering the post to be taken down so that Australians cannot see it.

“My view is that the laws are there, we introduced them when we were in government, to take down that sort of graphic, violent video, so that it doesn’t influence in many ways, other people here in Australia who might watch it,” Mr. Dutton said on the Today Show.

“Now, I’d love to say that it could be taken down so that no kid across the world could watch it, but we strongly support the eSafety Commissioner’s position in relation to taking it down so that Australians can’t view it.

“But we can’t pretend that Australia can dictate to other countries around the world what people see within their countries, as we wouldn’t tolerate that here, that Russia could dictate what content is seen in Australia.”

Mr. Dutton added, “I just think we need to be realistic about what the options are here. We can’t police the whole internet across the world, but we can influence what happens in Australian society.”

However, Labor Minister Bill Shorten said the “violent filth” shouldn’t be accessible. He claimed Mr. Musk was “not a free speech warrior.”

“If he was, he’d allow Twitter to be able to put up the movements of his jet, which he doesn’t. If he was really a free speech warrior, what’s he saying about his business interests in China when China disagrees with it?” Mr. Shorten said.

Mr. Shorten believes Mr. Musk thinks he can tell Australia what to do, and in response, the government is saying, “no, you don’t.”

“You may run your company, but you don’t run Australia, and our laws, we’re sovereign, and if we want you to take it down, we expect you to respect that.”

‘We Oppose the Demand to Globally Remove This Content’: X

X received a global takedown order from Australia’s eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant to remove posts following the knife attack on a Christian bishop during a livestream service.

The social media giant believes it has complied with the notice and Australian law by restricting all the posts at issue in Australia.

On April 25, the company’s global affairs team expressed its legal challenge centred on its view that the posts should not have been banned in Australia, and stated its opposition to the demand to remove the content globally.

“First, we believe that these posts should not have been banned in Australia at all. The content within the posts does not encourage or provoke violence and fits within the Australian legislation’s category that permits content that can be reasonably considered as part of public discussion or debate,” X said.

“Second, we oppose the demand to globally remove this content from X, as we believe that no government should possess such authority.”

X also noted that the bishop himself has expressed his desire for the video to stay online.

“The attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was a tragic event, and our thoughts are with him and all those affected,” X added.