Elon Musk Tests Takedown Power of Australia’s Internet Cop

X and the eSafety commissioner are scheduled to appear in court today in an ongoing legal battle. Billionaire Elon Musk is at the center of the dispute, defending his social media platform X against accusations of not removing footage of a Sydney terror attack. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, along with Australian politicians, is pushing for the removal of the “extreme violent video content” from X’s servers. The court order requiring X to block the footage internationally is set to expire, with the eSafety Commissioner seeking an extension and a final hearing for a permanent takedown order and civil penalties against X Corp. Musk has criticized Inman Grant, warning against allowing her powers to extend globally, as it could lead to one country controlling the entire internet. Despite the challenges of eradicating harmful content completely, platforms are expected to take practical steps to minimize harm to Australians and the community. The maximum penalty for non-compliance with a removal notice for a corporate body is $782,500 per contravention.

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