Australian judges confirm hefty $465,000 penalty for Elon Musk's social media platform X

Australian federal court judges have upheld a fine against Elon Musk's X, marking the culmination of a three-year legal battle between the tech giant and the Australian government over non-compliance with child internet safety regulations.

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The ruling stems from a February 2023 request by eSafety, the Australian internet regulator, which demanded that Twitter, then a separate entity, provide detailed information on its methods for keeping children safe online.

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Following Twitter's merger into Musk's X Corp in March 2023, the company was found to have provided "incomplete" responses to repeated requests from the commission, ultimately resulting in a fine.

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A federal court decision in October 2024 determined that X was obligated to respond to the notice, and on Thursday, the social media giant was ordered to pay a fine of AU$650,000, equivalent to US$464,900.

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Federal Justice Michael Wheelahan justified the penalty, stating that "a penalty near the maximum is appropriate in the case of the respondent, which is a substantial corporation so that it operates as a real deterrent and is not simply a cost of doing business."

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The Australian government has been a pioneer in global efforts to regulate big tech, having introduced world-first laws last year that prohibit individuals under 16 from accessing social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

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Several countries, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Norway, and New Zealand, have expressed interest in implementing similar social media restrictions, with officials from these nations meeting with Canberra representatives to discuss the ban.

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eSafety head Julie Inman Grant responded to the federal court ruling, emphasizing the importance of "meaningful transparency" in holding technology companies accountable.

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Grant further noted that this transparency not only facilitates the regulator's work but also provides the Australian public with vital information about the companies' efforts to tackle harmful content on their platforms.