Elon Musk’s car company recalled more than 3000 of its new cybertrucks in the last week because of a safety problem. No fuss, no drama. A government regulator issues an order and Tesla complies.

In the same week, Elon Musk’s internet company is ordered to remove one of its online offerings because of a safety problem. Maximum fuss, maximum drama. A government regulator issues an order and X, formerly Twitter, makes a great show of refusing, even defying a court order.

Illustration: BenkeCredit:

The offering in question is, of course, the video footage of a 16-year-old boy stabbing a bishop and another priest in a Sydney church this month in what has been designated officially a terrorist attack.

It’s turned into Musk v Australia. Musk mocks the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, as a “censorship commissar” reminiscent of communist dictatorships; the prime minister calls Musk an “arrogant billionaire”, an “egoist” running a “vanity project for himself” rather than X users.

Musk is such a fun and easy target that almost the entire parliament lined up to have a go, reminiscent of one of his birthday parties when he held a balloon between his legs so that a bloke could throw a knife to try exploding it. True story.

So why the difference between one Musk company’s smooth compliance and another’s frenzied refusal? And what’s next in this clash?

Musk says it’s because of high principle – his commitment to free speech. But that doesn’t add up, for three reasons; all based on X’s own behaviour and policies.

First, X under Musk has taken down other content in the same category of violent terrorism when told to do so by the Australian regulator on occasions past. And taken it down worldwide, not only in Australia. So how were those other take-downs consistent with free speech, but this one is not? Doesn’t add up.

QOSHE - Musk puts seat belts in cybertrucks. Now he must put them in cyberspace - Peter Hartcher
menu_open
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close
Aa Aa Aa
- A +

Musk puts seat belts in cybertrucks. Now he must put them in cyberspace

10 0
26.04.2024

Elon Musk’s car company recalled more than 3000 of its new cybertrucks in the last week because of a safety problem. No fuss, no drama. A government regulator issues an order and Tesla complies.

In the same week, Elon Musk’s internet company is ordered to remove one of its online offerings because of a safety problem. Maximum fuss, maximum drama. A government regulator issues an order and X, formerly Twitter, makes a great show of refusing, even defying a........

© The Sydney Morning Herald


Get it on Google Play