In a battle over freedom of speech and censorship, Elon Musk, the American billionaire and CEO of X, has retaliated against the Australian internet watchdog's attempts to enforce content blocking on his social media platform. The dispute arises from the sharing of violent footage related to the Sydney church stabbing.

Musk took to his personal X account to express his opposition, using a cleverly crafted cartoon. The cartoon portrays X as a pathway to "freedom" and "truth," contrasting it with a darker path leading to "censorship" and "propaganda." Musk's message accompanying the cartoon reads: "Don't take my word for it, just ask the Australian PM!"

Not only did Musk share the cartoon, but he also reposted a post highlighting a quote by Anthony Albanese, an Australian politician. The post claimed that most social media platforms had responded positively to Australian attempts to block the violent footage, but Musk added the words "for censorship" to the prime minister's quote, suggesting bias. Above the post, Musk sarcastically thanked the prime minister for declaring X as the only truthful platform.

The dispute escalated following a court order issued by the eSafety commissioner. X, along with Meta, was directed to remove content depicting "gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail" within 24 hours or face potential fines. X had geo-blocked the posts containing the violent video, preventing Australians from accessing them. However, the posts remained accessible globally and through the use of virtual private network (VPN) connections.

During a court hearing, the barrister for eSafety highlighted that the "graphic and violent" video was still circulating on X, raising concerns over irreparable harm. Christopher Tran, representing eSafety, argued that at the very least, X should shield the footage from all users, regardless of their location.

Musk dubbed the eSafety commissioner the "Australian censorship commissar" and raised concerns about free speech and jurisdictional issues. X also criticized the internet watchdog's approach as "unlawful and dangerous."

In response to the eSafety commissioner's court application, Marcus Hoyne, representing X Corp, requested more time to consult with his San Francisco-based client before proceeding. He argued that granting the order would impact international users without providing any significant benefit to Australia.

Justice Geoffrey Kennett granted an interim order suppressing the footage on X for all users until at least Wednesday afternoon. The case is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday for further discussion on whether a permanent suppression should be implemented.

This clash between Elon Musk, X, and the Australian internet watchdog highlights the ongoing debate surrounding freedom of speech and content regulation in the digital age.