Australian Regulator Fines Elon Musk’s X Platform for Anti-Child Abuse Gaps
An Australian Regulator Takes Action
An Australian regulator has imposed a fine of A$610,500 ($386,000) on Elon Musk’s social media platform X for its failure to cooperate with a probe into anti-child abuse practices. This comes as a blow to the company, which has been struggling to retain advertisers due to concerns about its content moderation policies.
X’s Lack of Cooperation
The e-Safety Commission fined X, previously known as Twitter, after it failed to respond to crucial questions regarding its response time to reports of child abuse material and the methods used to detect such content on the platform. Despite its reputation decline, the fine is a significant blow to the company.
Continued Challenges for X
X has been facing continuous revenue decline as advertisers reduce their spending on the platform. The company’s decision to halt most content moderation and reinstate banned accounts has raised concerns among advertisers. The European Union is also investigating X for potential violations of new tech rules related to disinformation.
Regulator’s Perspective
In an interview, Commissioner Julie Inman Grant expressed her disappointment with X’s lack of cooperation. She emphasized the importance of platforms taking responsibility for tackling illegal content and conducting themselves with transparency.
X’s Response
Since Musk took the company private, X’s efforts to prevent child exploitation have been called into question. The company claimed that it is not widely used by young people, and existing anti-grooming technology is not suitable for deployment on its platform.
Google’s Warning
Alongside X, Google also received a warning from the commission for noncompliance with requests for information about handling child abuse content. The regulator deemed Google’s responses to be generic, which the company disputed.
Consequences for X
The regulator noted that X’s noncompliance was more severe than Google’s, as X failed to answer critical questions about its response time, content moderation, and staff numbers. The company confirmed a significant reduction in its workforce since Musk’s takeover.
Future Implications
Under Australian laws, the regulator can compel internet companies to provide information about online safety practices or face fines. If X refuses to pay the fine, legal action may be pursued against the company. The regulator aims to hold companies accountable for addressing child abuse material on their platforms.
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