Australia Suspends Stabbing Video Case Against X

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Facts

  • Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant has dropped her order against X, formerly Twitter, to take down video footage of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney. Inman-Grant previously argued the video could incite further violence.1
  • X refused both the Commissioner's order and that of the Federal Court to temporarily remove the footage, arguing it was invalid. In response to Inman-Grant's policy reversal, X owner Elon Musk said his company is 'heartened to see that freedom of speech has prevailed.'2
  • Inman-Grant also reaffirmed her previous decision, saying she stood by her 'investigators and the decisions eSafety made,' adding that she 'welcomed the opportunity' for the country's Administrative Appeals Tribunal to conduct a 'merits-based review of her takedown notice.'3
  • Following the Commissioner's initial order, which was for X to take the video down globally, Musk argued that X 'adheres to the laws of countries in those countries,' however, 'it would be improper to extend one country's rulings to other countries.'4
  • The dispute led to a back-and-forth between Musk, who called Inman-Grant the 'censorship commissar,' and Australian officials, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.1

Sources: 1BBC News, 2abc.net.au, 3Al Jazeera and 4CNBC.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by eSafety Commissioner. The only person who feels this is a win is Elon Musk, whose choice was in the minority among other social media companies who chose to remove the violent video. Until the Appeals Tribunal makes its final decision, Musk and his platform will continue to put the world at risk of further violence. The eSafety Commissioner's job is to keep Australians safe, which is why her legal fight is not over.
  • Right narrative, as provided by x.com. It appears that Julie Inman-Grant has finally hit a wall in her pursuit to rule over the Australian internet. While she's successfully taken down content, such as material critical of transgender ideology, Australia's chief censor has finally met her match in Elon Musk. Musk has proven that authoritarian impulses can't cleanse the internet of content deemed a 'threat' to political beliefs.

Predictions