Twitter, formerly known as X, has taken legal action against Australia’s online safety watchdog after being fined for its failure to combat child sexual abuse content on its platform. The Electronic Safety Commission imposed a fine of AU$610,500 ($395,543) on Twitter for not adequately addressing questions regarding its approach to handling child abuse content. In response, Twitter has filed a lawsuit seeking a judicial review of the commission’s decision. The watchdog, known as eSafety, stated that it is exploring options for addressing Twitter’s non-compliance but provided no further details due to ongoing legal proceedings.
The fine against Twitter was imposed under Australia’s Online Safety Act, which requires technology companies to report on the measures they take to combat the proliferation of child sexual exploitation content. The eSafety Commission expressed dissatisfaction with Twitter’s responses regarding the platform’s response time to reports of child sexual exploitation and other related matters.
The commission stressed that tackling child sexual exploitation is a top priority and called for action to back up Twitter’s public statements. It believes that technology companies have a moral responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse on their platforms.
Earlier this year, the eSafety Commission issued legal notices to several technology companies, urging them to clarify the steps they were taking to address child sexual extortion, exploitation, and harmful content. The commission highlights the growing problem of online child sexual exploitation in Australia.
The ongoing legal battle between Twitter and the eSafety Commission highlights the challenges faced by social media platforms in tackling the spread of harmful content, particularly related to child sexual abuse. As technology continues to evolve, there is a growing need for effective measures to protect vulnerable individuals, especially children, online.
The outcome of the lawsuit may have implications for the responsibilities and obligations of social media platforms in addressing such content. This case also underscores the importance of collaboration between regulatory bodies and technology companies to ensure the safety of users and combat online abuse effectively.
As the legal proceedings continue, all eyes will be on the Australian Federal Court to determine the outcome of Twitter’s appeal. It remains to be seen how this case will influence the future actions and policies of social media platforms in Australia and beyond when it comes to combatting child sexual abuse content.
