Elon Musk Says Australia's Ban on Stabbing Video Is Censorship

Australia on Monday banned X from allowing users to access graphic video from last week's stabbing attack at a Sydney church, at least temporarily, and Elon Musk responded by accusing the country of censorship. Australia's internet watchdog, the eSafety Commission, had already blocked Australian users from accessing video of a bishop being stabbed, but the video could still be viewed from other countries. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said most social media companies cooperated with the country's request that the violent footage be blocked, but X did not, the Guardian reports. So the commissioner made an urgent request to Australia's federal court for an injunction, and a judge ordered the footage be suppressed until Wednesday, when an application for a permanent ban will be heard, the AP reports.

• Musk responded by quoting Albanese on the topic of X choosing not to cooperate, writing, "I'd like to take a moment to thank the PM for informing the public that this platform is the only truthful one." He also shared an image of diverging roads, with X as the only company headed toward "free speech" and "truth" while other social networks are headed toward "censorship" and "propaganda," writing, "Don't take my word for it, just ask the Australian PM!" He also shared his concern that one country shouldn't be allowed to "censor content for ALL countries."

• Albanese later responded on Australian TV, "We'll do what's necessary to take on this arrogant billionaire who thinks he's above the law, but also above common decency. The idea that someone would go to court for the right to put up violent content on a platform shows how out of touch Mr. Musk is."

(More Elon Musk stories.)