Musk's Twitter Fined by Australian Regulator for Noncompliance

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Twitter, owned by Elon Musk’s X, has been fined A$610,500 by Australia’s internet safety watchdog for failing to cooperate with an investigation into child abuse practices. This development follows Musk’s statement last year, declaring that removing child exploitation was his top priority. The eSafety Commission, however, has accused the firm of failing to deliver on its promise.

Twitter’s Disappointment

The fine was imposed after Twitter, also known as X, failed to adequately respond to the eSafety Commission’s queries about its online safety practices. Under Australian laws enacted in 2021, internet companies are required to provide such information or face penalties. If fines are not paid, the regulator can pursue legal action against the company.

Twitter’s lack of compliance was particularly alarming, as the company left some sections of the regulator’s questionnaire completely blank. Key questions regarding response times to reports of child sexual exploitation, measures to detect exploitation in livestreams, and the use of tools to identify such material were left unanswered.

Workforce Cuts and Revenue Decline

Twitter confirmed to the regulator that it had reduced its global workforce by 80%, and it currently has no public policy staff in Australia. This follows mass layoffs at the company, which insiders claim have left them unable to protect users from trolling. Since Musk bought Twitter for $44bn in 2020, the company has experienced a continuous decline in revenue.

Misinformation Concerns

In addition to the fine, Twitter faced criticism last month from Australian researchers for disabling a feature that allowed users to report election misinformation. The move, which occurred ahead of a significant referendum on Indigenous rights, has sparked concerns about the platform’s handling of disinformation.

The eSafety Commission also issued a warning to Google’s Alphabet for noncompliance with its request for information regarding the handling of child abuse content. However, Twitter’s noncompliance was viewed as more serious by the regulator.