Australia’s internet safety watchdog has fined Elon Musk’s X (formerly known as Twitter) for failing to demonstrate its efforts in cracking down on child sexual abuse content.
The ESafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, imposed a fine of AUD 610,500 (USD 385,000) on the social media platform, citing concerns about “empty talk” regarding the issue.
Grant also issued a formal warning to Google for falling short in its responsibilities regarding child abuse material.
A former Twitter employee,Inman Grant, highlighted a decline in proactive detection of child sexual exploitation on X from 90 percent to 75 percent in the three months after Musk’s takeover.
She emphasized the need for tangible action to support the company’s public statements regarding child sexual exploitation.
In February, the ESafety commissioner sent legal notices to several online platforms, requesting evidence of their content moderation and removal practices.
The responses from X and Google were deemed underwhelming, with concerns raised about their systems’ capabilities and public perception.
Australia has been at the forefront of global efforts to regulate social media platforms, and this is not the first time Inman Grant has raised issues related to X and Musk’s involvement.
Earlier in the year, she expressed concerns about increased “toxicity and hate” following Musk’s takeover.
Both X and Google have affirmed their commitment to addressing child sexual abuse material and working with the eSafety commissioner, the government, and the industry to enhance online safety in Australia.
