Share and Follow
Key Points
- Social media platform X has been ordered to remove graphic content related to a Sydney church stabbing.
- The stabbing attack led to a riot outside Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley.
- Lawyers argued that X should shield the footage from all users, not just Australians.
During a hastily arranged hearing, a barrister for the eSafety Commissioner said the “graphic and violent” video remained online on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The commissioner had ordered the removal of the footage but X’s response was to block the video to Australian IP addresses, the court was told.
He submitted that X should shield the footage from all users, not just Australians.
X pushes free speech argument
The eSafety commissioner’s court application was served at the last possible moment, Hoyne said.
The case will return to court on Wednesday for an argument about a permanent suppression.
PM labels challenge “extraordinary”
Albanese criticised the broadcast of violent images and said some social media content exacerbated the pain of many people.
Tanya Plibersek called him an “egotistical billionaire”, Sarah Hanson-Young dubbed him a “narcissistic cowboy” while Simon Birmingham attacked X’s “ridiculous and preposterous argument” that removing imagery of a terrorist attack should be left online.