Elon Musk criticizes Australia for ordering removal of stabbing video
SYDNEY—Elon Musk criticized an order by Australian authorities to remove a video of the stabbing of a religious leader, with the billionaire owner of social-media platform X arguing it sets a dangerous precedent that effectively allows one country to control the entire internet. The row has intensified in recent days, with Australia’s eSafety commissioner—the official in charge of monitoring social media for harmful content—taking X to court for not doing enough to remove the content after it received a formal notice to take it down. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also weighed in, arguing that Musk is fighting for the right to show violent videos on his platform.
“This guy is showing his arrogance," Albanese said. “He’s a billionaire over there in the United States who thinks he’s above Australian law." At issue is whether X’s move to geoblock, rather than delete, the content is sufficient, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Geoblocking hides the content from Australian users, but it could still be circumvented by people using a virtual private network, which obscures a user’s location. The Australia incident began the night of April 15, when Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of Christ the Good Shepherd Church was speaking at a lectern during a livestream. A video that circulated online showed a person in a black hoodie walking up to the bishop and appearing to stab Emmanuel several times, including in the face.
The bishop fell to the ground as congregants rushed to his aid. Authorities have since charged a 16-year-old boy with the assault and have deemed the incident a terrorist attack. On Monday night, an Australian judge issued a temporary injunction compelling X to hide the video content, but there
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