A top Australian official slammed Elon Musk on Monday as an "egotistical billiionaire" for ignoring the law and refusing to remove posts on X of the grisly terror stabbing of a local bishop in his church.
"It beggars belief that this egotistical billionaire thinks it's more important for him to show whatever he wants on X or Twitter ... for him to have his way, than to respect the victims of the crimes," Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek complained, the Guardian reported.
Australian Agriculture Minister Murray Watt also told Sky News Sunday that the "public has had a gutful of these narcissistic billionaires who think they are above the law."
Even Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke out against Musk, telling reporters Monday he found it "extraordinary that X chose not to comply" with the law. Albanese emphasized that the issue isn't about freedom of expression but instead concerns dangerous misinformation that can be "weaponized" via a private business.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was viciously asssaulted in a stabbing attack last week during a livestreamed service in the Assyrian Orthodox church in Sydney. Video of the attack, which has been deemed a terror assault by law enforcement, has been posted on X along with outlandish conspiracy theories officials fear could spark more violence.
A teenager has been arrested in the attack, but few other details have been released.
An Australian judge ruled Monday that X must block every user in the world from accessing video of a bishop being stabbed.
He has given X 24 hours to "hide" the footage from users.
Musk's company informed the government last week that it will challenge an order by Australia's eSafety Commissioner to remove violent and offensive posts of the attack. The company is claiming the government has no authority to issue such an order, and that the gruesome posts and wild misinformation don't violate X's standards.
Musk used his company last weekend to attack eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant on X, posting a video of her, and deriding her as the "Australian censorship commissar."
Musk's behavior has bolstered unity in Australia, where the nation's opposition coalition is joining forces with the liberal government.
Coalition leader Peter Dutton has accused social media companies of acting "above the law" and has offered support for new legislation to crack down on misinformation.
