Hi everybody and welcome back to the Elon Musk podcast. Today, we're tackling the controversy surrounding Twitter's battle with online hate speech. Following Elon musk's take over now. Since lifting, the ban, on over 62,000 accounts, Twitter has become Australia's most complained about platform. Australia is e-safety. Commissioner is demanding accountability, resulting in a potential for hundred and seventy-five thousand dollar daily fine for non-compliance.
And to the nation's Online, safety act in this episode, we explore the tightrope between freedom of speech and The crucial need to limit cyber abuse. Australia's cyber Watchdog. The e-safety commissioner has issued an official notice to Twitter? The microblogging platform from Elon Musk seeking Clarity on how the social media giant is addressing online, heat speech
and abuse. And this is because he lifted all of those banned accounts, the e-safety commissioner headed by Julie and Min Grant is ramping up its campaign to hold
Twitter accountable. The latest demand from the regulator came after Twitter became the platform with the most complaints, To online hate exceeding, those against Facebook Instagram and even Tick-Tock despite having significantly fewer users in Australia, in mid Grant in her statement, accused Twitter of falling short in managing online. Hate her claim stem from musk's controversial decision to reinstate 62,000 band accounts, some of which belonged to individuals known to propagate
Nazi ideologies. Now musk who purchased a platform for forty four billion dollars in October promised a commitment to free speech, which many perceive as the root of the current issue. Inman Grant said, the prevalence of online hate on Twitter is a growing concern. We demand accountability from these platforms to safeguard their users and there can be no accountability without
transparency. That's precisely what the legal notice aims to achieve if Twitter fails to respond to the notice within 28 days, it risks a Fine of 700,000 Australian dollars that's 473 480 US dollars every day. Now the company has so far declined to comment on the matter though, the regulator's stern warning, coincides with an escalating debate about race as Australia. Approaches a constitutional referendum later this year, the proposed amendment aims to recognize the rights of
indigenous people. Now prominent indigenous television, host stand Grant cited, targeted abuse on Twitter when he announced a break from the media last month. Furthermore National indigenous television decided to pause as activities on a platform, condemning the daily racism and hate in a counters. Now, the e-safety commissioner has asked Twitter to elaborate on the process of reinstating band accounts, its interactions with communities subject to online hate and it's enforcement.
I see is prohibiting hateful conduct since must take over in Maine. Grant, a former Twitter executive has noticed, a quote whirring surge of hate online. Any significant increase in reports of serious online abuse. The current scenario suggests Twitter's commitment to free speech may be fostering a more toxic online environment. Now, Twitter's reinstatement of tens of thousands of accounts.
Previously, banned under different management has been flagged as a contributing factor to the And hate speech. The reinstatement of those accounts is seemingly emboldened extremists, outrage Peddlers and even neo-nazis. Both domestically and internationally in been Grant has said Australia's Online safety act introduced in 2021 and touted as a world. First could see Twitter face a daily fine of up to four hundred and seventy-five thousand
dollars, if it doesn't comply. Now, the ACT obliges social media platforms is to ensure user safety, which includes limiting. Cyber abused Australia. Is serious about enforcing this law associate professor in political sociality and deakin University in Melbourne, Josh ruse, held the move stating. If you do business in Australia, you're still subject to Australian legislation especially around hate speech and anti-discrimination.
Now, unlike the United States Australia doesn't have a broad constitutional right to free speech. Implementing stricter, defamation laws and Racial discrimination act. These regulations, make it an offence to publicly, offend insult, humiliate, or intimidate a person on the basis of their race, additional protections extend to other categories, like disability gender or sexual identity varying from state to state.
Twitter's current policy could contravene these protections according to ruse by allowing language that discriminates against these protected categories and despite Musk stepping aside as CEO recently wanting Linda? Yeah, kirino to the role his past decisions. Have undeniably shaped the current Twitter landscape in April and Analysis by rest of world found that Twitter under musk's ownership complied, fully with 83% of governmental requests compared with 50% previously.
Australia has demonstrated its willingness to stand against social media Giants before and in 2021 the government enacted legislation for Certain social media platforms to pay news Organization for Content shared on their sites. Now, this current legal notice is yet another step demonstrating Australia's, commitment to holding social media platforms to higher standards of responsibility and accountability. And Twitter is walking on a thin
line here. If they don't comply with this, they're going to have to spend a lot of money with the Australian government, or they can shut down their practice and Australia and not get fined. Yeah, those are pretty much the only two options. So we'll see what happens. Stay tuned because we'll have that information for you. As soon as we get it, thank you for listening today. If you have a moment, please hit the follower subscribe button on whatever podcast platform you're on right now.
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