Australia’s internet watchdog has withdrawn its legal action against Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, regarding the circulation of videos depicting a stabbing at a Sydney church.
In April, the commissioner ordered X to hide 65 posts showing the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a livestreamed service at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, a suburb of Sydney.
On Wednesday, the eSafety Commissioner announced the discontinuation of the Federal Court case initiated in April against X, previously known as Twitter.
The case centered on the platform’s failure to remove clips of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel being attacked during a live-streamed sermon on April 15, which remained accessible to Australian users.
“Today I have decided to consolidate action concerning my Class 1 removal notice to X Corp in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal,” Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant said in a statement.
“After weighing multiple considerations, including litigation across multiple cases, I have considered this option likely to achieve the most positive outcome for the online safety of all Australians, especially children.
As a result, I have decided to discontinue the proceedings in the Federal Court against X Corp.” she said.
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal will conduct a review of Inman-Grant’s decision to issue X a removal notice, as the commissioner maintains her stance.
The eSafety commissioner pursued a federal court injunction to have the tweets completely removed after X only restricted access to the tweets for Australian users and vowed to contest the notice.
