The Prime Minister of Australia Responds to Elon Musk’s “Fascists” Joke
Elon Musk and Australian officials have been at odds over social media regulation for some time now. This latest exchange is the result of that dispute.
Elon Musk has had international run-ins with lawmakers and digital rights organizations.
Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacted to Elon Musk on Saturday, labelling his government “fascists” for introducing legislation that would penalize social media companies for spreading false information.
Australia this week unveiled a “combating misinformation” bill that grants broad authority to fine tech companies for breaches of their pledges to uphold online safety, up to 5% of their annual revenue.
On Thursday, Musk referred to users of his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, as “fascists.”
He told reporters on Saturday, “If Mr. Musk does not understand that, that says more about him than it does about my government.”
The recent conversation between Musk and Australian officials comes amid a protracted dispute over social media regulation between Musk and the Australian government.
The government of Australia is looking into a number of new initiatives that would force social media companies to be more responsible for the content on their platforms, including a ban on content intended for minors.
Earlier this year, the nation’s internet watchdog filed a lawsuit against Musk’s business, claiming that it had neglected to take down “extremely violent” videos featuring a Sydney preacher being stabbed.
However, it quickly abandoned its attempt to compel X to comply with a worldwide takedown order after Musk won a preliminary hearing on the law, a development he hailed as a victory for free speech.
Self-described “free speech absolutist” Musk has run afoul of lawmakers and digital rights organizations across the globe, including in the European Union, which may decide in the coming months to take legal action against X and impose fines.
In response, Musk blasted the judge in Brazil, where X has been suspended since it disregarded several court orders, calling the judge a “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge.”
