Australian government attempts fine X US$500,000 if he doesn't comply with requests to globally censor content on X. Musk to appeal.
"The Australian censorship commissar is demanding *global* content bans!" posts free speech champion, Elon Musk, vowing to “robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court”.
Australia’s Labor Party condemned Musk’s commitment to liberty, branding him a “narcissistic billionaire”, claiming they “won’t be bullied” and are “ready for a fight”, “but who are they fighting for?” asked free speech advocate, Radha Stirling, founder of human rights group, Due Process International. “It is clear that the overwhelming majority of Australian (voting) citizens support Elon Musk’s commitment to opposing government censorship.
“Citizens saw what happened when the government began censoring voices in order to manipulate the population into accepting a single narrative during covid times. But the truth cannot be suppressed forever and people have woken up to the danger of state endorsed censorship as a means to mislead and deceive the public.
“Most Australians believe that Julian Assange should be freed, that he should not be jailed for telling the truth. There is a long history of support for freedom of press and freedom of information, and the recent example of covid truths censorship has hit home. People are feeling less trusting of the government to decide what information they should consume under the guise of “safety”. The eSafety Commissioner was founded to ‘protect the public’ under the ‘Liberal’ party, then expanded by the Labor party. Its recent attempt to police the global internet though, has left the Australian public supporting Elon Musk over their political leaders.
“Elon Musk’s commitment to oppose censorship and encourage open debate is something that resonates with Australians as much as Julian Assange’s whistleblowing journalism. The public wants to discern the truth from information without interference from the state and their vested interests.
“Taking on a free speech hero like Elon Musk is a huge mistake for eSafety and the Labor administration. Voters are going to be increasingly electing people who actually value the basic liberties of the population. Without freedom of information, it is impossible to fully appreciate issues and be able to formulate educated opinions. This is what the government wants but doesn’t look like it's going to get.
“Political parties who protect free speech, value their citizens' intelligence and freedom to decide what information they consume will be more likely to win elections and lead a more happy and productive society. Censorship is not for the benefit of the people and it’s imperative Elon Musk wins this precedent setting battle”.
