A court in Australia has upheld an order for Elon Musk’s X to pay a fine of 610,500 Australian dollars for failing to cooperate with a regulator’s request for information about anti-child-abuse practices. X, previously known as Twitter, had challenged the fine, arguing that it was not obligated to respond due to a merger with a new Musk-controlled entity. However, the Federal Court of Australia ruled against X, stating that it must comply with the eSafety Commissioner’s notice. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, emphasized the importance of foreign companies meeting regulatory obligations in Australia to prevent future precedent-setting cases.
Additionally, the eSafety Commissioner has initiated civil proceedings against X for its noncompliance. This is not the first conflict between Musk and the Australian internet safety regulator. Earlier this year, the eSafety Commissioner ordered X to remove posts depicting a bishop being stabbed during a sermon. X challenged this order in court, arguing against global regulation by one country’s regulator. Musk criticized the order as censorship and suggested it was part of a plot by the World Economic Forum to impose eSafety rules worldwide. Despite the Australian regulator withdrawing its case, X kept the posts up.
Currently, X has not responded to requests for comments on the recent court ruling. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies and regulators regarding internet safety practices and regulatory compliance.
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