Emmanuel OchayiAustralia’s internet safety watchdog has taken action against Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, by imposing A$610,500 fine. This fine follows allegations that the platform failed to cooperate with a probe into anti-child abuse practices. The eSafety Commission criticized the company for its “empty talk” on this critical issue.
Mr. Musk had in November last year released a statement where he declared that “removing child exploitation is priority #1.” This development has, however, raised questions about the company’s commitment to addressing the problem.
Furthermore, since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion last year, the platform has experienced a continuous decline in revenue. The regulator’s actions are in accordance with Australian laws that came into effect in 2021, granting authorities the power to demand information about online safety practices from internet companies, with noncompliance resulting in significant fines and potential legal action.
Alphabet’s Google also received a warning for noncompliance with requests for information regarding their handling of child abuse content. However, X’s noncompliance is considered more severe, as it left crucial questions unanswered and sections blank.
Among the unanswered questions was the time it takes for the platform to respond to reports of child sexual exploitation, measures in place to detect child sexual exploitation in livestreams, and the tools and technologies used to detect such material.
According to BBC, X confirmed that it had significantly reduced its global workforce by 80% and no longer maintains public policy staff in Australia since Mr. Musk’s takeover. This revelation has raised concerns about the company’s ability to respond effectively to pressing issues such as misinformation and child exploitation.
Last month, X faced criticism from Australian researchers for disabling a feature that allowed users to report misinformation about elections. This decision has heightened concerns, particularly given the backdrop of a crucial Australian referendum aimed at granting Indigenous people more rights.
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