Politics

An under 16s ban on social media is coming to Australia

- November 7, 2024 5 MIN READ

The federal government is looking to take on big tech companies like Meta, owners of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, TikTok and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), and possibly YouTube, with a social media ban for children under 16. Prime minister Anthony Albanese and communications minister Michelle Rowland today revealed plans for legislation to be introduced… Read more »

Twitter, X, rebrand, Elon Musk
Global tech

Elon Musk’s microblogging site tried to avoid a $610,500 Australian government fine because its name changed – but lost in court

- October 9, 2024 3 MIN READ

X’s attempt to have a $600,000 fine thrown out as it was issued to its previous company name has been rejected by an Australian court, in a significant legal win for the eSafety Commissioner. Federal Court of Australia Justice Michael Wheelahan ruled on Friday that X could not wriggle out of an Australian government infringement… Read more »

Opinion

Why Meta’s plan to keep kids safe online is a missed chance for collaboration among the tech giants

- September 9, 2024 3 MIN READ

Meta, which owns social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, has revealed its plans for keeping kids safe online. It wants companies like Apple and Google, who run mobile phone app stores, to force parents to approve when their children attempt to install phone apps which are popular among young people. Meta’s announcement comes… Read more »

Politics

eSafety drops Federal Court case against Elon Musk’s X over bishop stabbing in favour of tribunal hearing

- June 5, 2024 2 MIN READ

Australian eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant has dropped her Federal Court action against social media platform X (formerly Twitter), no doubt hoping the in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal will be as sympathetic to her arguments as a similar tribunal in Queensland. The change in strategy comes are X owner Elon Musk last month won the… Read more »

Politics

Elon Musk 1, eSafety Commissioner 0, in legal battle over priest stabbing video removal on X

- May 14, 2024 2 MIN READ

Elon Musk has won the latest round in his Federal Court fight with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner over demands that his social media company X (aka Twitter) remove footage of a bishop being stabbed in Sydney last month. The decision by Justice Geoffrey Kennett limits the powers of  Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and the country’s Online… Read more »

Politics

Backing Australia on global content take-down orders only works if you believe China, Russia and Iran have the same rights

- April 24, 2024 3 MIN READ

Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask themselves whether they are equally happy for courts in China, Russia and Iran to determine what Australians can see and post online in Australia.… Read more »

Elon Musk
Politics

If X owner Elon Musk is miffed about taking down a church stabbing video he’s gonna be seriously triggered when he learns about Australian law

- April 23, 2024 3 MIN READ

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has ordered social media platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to remove graphic videos of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney last week from the site. The incident was captured on the church’s livestreamed mass service. In response to this order, X’s owner, Elon Musk, has branded the commissioner… Read more »

Twitter, X, rebrand, Elon Musk
Social Media

Australia’s eSafety commissioner launches legal action against Elon Musk’s X Corp

- December 21, 2023 2 MIN READ

Australia’s online safety regulator, the eSafety Commission, has launched legal action against the Elon Musk’s rebranded Twitter company, X Corp, for its alleged failure to comply appropriately to requests to explain how the social media site was dealing with child sexual exploitation and abuse material. The civil case in the Federal Court of Victoria follows… Read more »