By Anugrah KumarChristian Mail Contributor Sunday, April 21, 2024

Elon Musk and his social media platform X have announced their intention to contest an Australian government order demanding the removal of a video depicting the stabbing of an Assyrian priest. The platform faces a daily fine of $500,000.

Australia's eSecurity Commissioner has ordered social networking platforms X and Meta (Facebook's parent company) to remove content depicting the attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a Christian bishop in Sydney, according to NCA Newswire.

The video, initially livestreamed on the church's social media channel, circulated widely on social media, raising concerns among law enforcement and political leaders about its potential to incite further violence.

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X's Global Government Affairs team published a statement condemning the Australian eSafety Commissioner's decision to issue a global takedown order, stating that it breached the platform's rules and Australian law.

The statement explained that the company complied with the initial order while seeking a legal challenge. However, X now faces a daily fine of AUD 785,000 (about $500,000) for failing to comply with the commissioner's new requirement to withhold the video worldwide.

The incident that prompted the removal order happened on Monday evening at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, a suburb of Sydney. According to a news report, a 15-year-old male allegedly attacked Bishop Emmanuel during a service, stabbing him in the head and upper body. Three others, including Fr. Isaac Royel, were also injured trying to subdue the attacker. All victims received medical attention and were taken to hospital, with none sustaining life-threatening injuries.

Following the attack, protests erupted outside the church, prompting a significant police response, including tactical police and armored vehicles.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb condemned the violence and called for social media platforms to do more to prevent the spread of harmful content. “I think leading a social media platform should come with a great deal of social, corporate responsibility,” the news thread said. “I think that in order to have such images online, they should be removed immediately and not left up there.”

The eSecurity Commission issued a takedown notice, citing the depiction of “gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail.” However, X and Elon Musk argue that the order exceeds the jurisdiction of the eSecurity Commissioner and goes against the principles of free speech and an open internet.

Musk stated in a post on X, “The Australian censorship commissioner is demanding global content prohibitions.” He further stated that the social media platform would “vigorously challenge this illegal and dangerous approach in court.”

The eSafety Commission, however, emphasized the need to ensure the safety of Australians against violent content on social media platforms. Commissioner Julie Inman Grant expressed her disappointment with X's response, claiming that not enough was being done to protect Australians from extreme and gratuitous violence online. She added that further regulatory action could be warranted against X.

X said it does not allow users to praise acts of violence or call for more violence. It underlined the importance of public conversation regarding events of important public concern, as is often the case when an important event occurs. X also emphasized that it respects the right of a country to enforce its laws within its jurisdiction, but stated that global takedown orders threaten free speech and the fundamental principles of the internet.