Australia's internet regulator reported that X, owned by Elon Musk, refused to remove a video of a high-profile stabbing in Sydney despite requests. The video was viewed by Axel Rudakubana shortly before he committed a fatal attack on three young girls in Southport. While other major tech firms complied by taking down the video, X only blocked it in Australia, enabling Rudakubana to watch it before his deadly act.
In connection to the investigation of the Southport murders last July, police found multiple devices in the 18-year-old's home in Banks, Lancashire. Authorities mentioned that uncovering Rudakubana's deleted internet browsing history may take years. Despite this, a search on X for the stabbing of the bishop was the sole remaining trace, as per police statements.
After the livestreamed attack on the bishop, eSafety stated that it collaborated with technology companies to promptly remove the video from their platforms. The regulator commended Google, Microsoft, Snap, and TikTok for their swift cooperation in ensuring the video's unavailability. Additional measures were taken by some companies to prevent the material from spreading further.
Furthermore, eSafety contacted Meta, which includes Facebook and Instagram, as well as X, instructing them under Australia's Online Safety Act to remove the material. Meta's response and actions were appreciated, whereas X chose not to take down the video from its platform. Instead, X implemented a geoblock in Australia, allowing individuals outside the country and those using a VPN within Australia to access the video.
X has not replied to the BBC's request for comment.