Australian PM calls Elon Musk an ‘arrogant billionaire’ in row over attack footage

Australia’s chief has referred to as Elon Musk an “arrogant billionaire” in an escalating feud over X’s reluctance to take away footage of a church stabbing.

On Monday, an Australian court docket ordered Mr Musk’s social media agency – previously referred to as Twitter – to cover movies of final week’s attack in Sydney.

X beforehand mentioned it might comply “pending a legal challenge”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s criticism adopted Mr Musk utilizing a meme to accuse his authorities of censorship.

On Tuesday, Mr Albanese informed ABC News that Mr Musk “thinks he’s above the law but also above common decency”.

Last week Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, an impartial regulator, threatened X and different social media corporations with hefty fines if they didn’t take away movies of the stabbing on the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church, which police have referred to as a terror attack.

X has argued the order is “not within the scope of Australian law”.

The commissioner sought a court docket injunction after saying it was clear that X was permitting customers exterior Australia to proceed accessing footage.

“I find it extraordinary that X chose not to comply and are trying to argue their case,” Mr Albanese informed a press briefing.

In a subsequent collection of on-line posts, Mr Musk wrote: “I’d like to take a moment to thank the PM for informing the public that this platform is the only truthful one.” Another depicted a Wizard of Oz-style path to “freedom” resulting in an X emblem.

Earlier, he additionally criticised eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant personally, describing her as “Australian censorship commissar”.

Mr Albanese defended Ms Inman Grant, saying she was defending Australians.

“Social media needs to have social responsibility with it. Mr Musk is not showing any,” he mentioned.

Monday’s injunction shall be in place till shut of enterprise on Wednesday, at which level a second listening to is because of happen.

X and the eSafety Commissioner are already concerned in authorized proceedings over the platform’s alleged failure to supply data over the way it tracks and removes youngster abuse materials on-line.