Australian senator raises concerns over knife attack video on X

SYDNEY, Australia: An Australian senator has raised concerns about the repercussions of Elon Musk's decision to defy a regulator's order and keep footage on his social media platform X of a stabbing incident involving a Sydney bishop.

Senator Jacqui Lambie highlighted that police feared this defiance could potentially incite individuals to join terrorist organizations or commit terrorist acts.

Despite a court order mandating the removal of posts containing the stabbing footage, Musk persisted in keeping the violent content accessible globally on his platform X.

Musk "should put his big boy pants on and do the right thing, but he won't because he has no social conscience", Lambie said in her social media posts.

Musk retaliated against the court order, calling for Lambie's imprisonment and making controversial remarks about Australia's gun laws. This escalation intensified the conflict between Musk and Australian officials, including the prime minister and the e-Safety Commissioner.

The incident underscores the challenges posed by social media platforms in regulating harmful content and maintaining public safety. Musk's defiance has reignited debates about accountability and responsibility in the online sphere.

After an anonymous X user suggested Senator Lambie should be jailed for "censoring free speech on X," Elon Musk agreed, branding her an "enemy of the people of Australia."

Musk further criticized Australia, amplifying a post insinuating the country disarmed citizens to prevent resistance against a "fascist government."

Home Affairs Minster Clare O'Neill said social media companies created "civil division, social unrest ... and we're not seeing a skerrick of responsibility taken".

"Instead, we're seeing megalomaniacs like Elon Musk going to court to fight for the right to show alleged terrorist content on his platform," she added.

While X and Musk claimed compliance with a temporary takedown order, they announced plans to appeal. Despite this, the footage remained accessible on X in Australia.

At a hearing, a lawyer for the e-Safety Commissioner noted X's apparent failure to comply with the temporary order. However, X argued against the jurisdiction of the global takedown order. The federal court extended the temporary takedown order pending another hearing on May 10.