Court Order and Fine
The Federal Court of Australia ordered X Corp, owned by Elon Musk, to pay AU$650,000 in fines and AU$100,000 in legal costs within 45 days. The order was issued by Justice Michael Wheelahan and published online. X Corp admitted to contravening Australia's Online Safety Act by failing to comply with a reporting notice from the eSafety Commissioner.
"Tech companies must engage in meaningful transparency regarding child safety." – Commissioner Julie Inman Grant
Background
In February 2023, the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant issued a reporting notice to Twitter (which merged with X Corp the following month) requiring information on steps taken to combat child exploitation material. X Corp argued that Twitter no longer existed as a legal entity and that X Corp was not subject to its predecessor's regulatory obligations. The court rejected these arguments in July 2024. Non-compliance lasted 38 days. The initial fine of AU$610,500 was raised to AU$650,000, plus legal costs.
Statements
Commissioner Inman Grant stated that tech companies must engage in meaningful transparency regarding child safety, and that the reporting process provides the public with information about how platforms handle harmful content. The commissioner noted that Elon Musk's public criticisms of her have led to death threats and doxxing of her children.
Separate Case
In 2024, the commissioner dropped a separate case against X Corp that sought to force removal of graphic footage of a Sydney church stabbing.