Australia’s internet watchdog has abandoned legal proceedings against Elon Musk’s X to remove images of a bishop being stabbed from the platform internationally.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant announced on Wednesday that she was withdrawing the Class 1 takedown notice after a failed attempt to force X to hide the footage until the court case was resolved.
“Today I have decided to consolidate the action relating to my Class 1 dismissal notice to X Corp in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal,” he said in a statement.
‘After weighing multiple considerations, including litigation in multiple cases, I have considered that this option is likely to achieve the most positive outcome for the online safety of all Australians, especially children.
“Accordingly, I have decided to stay the proceedings in the Federal Court against X Corp.”
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant (pictured) has dropped legal proceedings against X Corp that would require them to block graphic images of an alleged terrorist attack.
The social media platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk (pictured), refused to remove the images, arguing that the offer violates the principle of freedom of expression.
Inman-Grant took the legal battle to Musk and X after clips of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel being stabbed during a livestreamed sermon on April 15 remained on the platform for Australian users to view.
The platform removed the images from the site within Australia under a prohibition order, but refused to remove the images for its global audience after a Federal Court order, arguing that the offer violates the principle of freedom of expression.
Musk continued to press this point while taking aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in X and describing Inman-Grant as the “censorship commissioner.”
The commissioner said other big tech companies like Meta, TikTok and Google complied with the takedown request.
“This is because the video violated their terms of service and standards of decency,” Inman-Grant wrote.
“Therefore, when we requested to remove an extremely graphic video of an attack, it was a reasonable expectation that X Corp would take action in accordance with these publicly stated policies and practices.”
The legal battle with billionaire Musk was also an “opportunity to test (eSafety’s) new regulatory powers,” according to the commissioner.
Despite the pushback, he fired a warning shot at other tech companies, adding that eSafety holds them accountable with “the full range of available provisions…without fear or favor.”
“We will not give up on this commitment.”