Australia's eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has told the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion that mainstream social media platforms are fighting to distribute and monetise 'gore' and 'fringe' content, singling out X in her testimony.
X Resists Removal of Violent Content
Inman Grant detailed how her office had to fight X's owner, Elon Musk, to restrict or remove footage, including from the Bondi terror attack. She said eSafety 'fought hard' to get the Bondi attack footage 'refused classification', making its distribution illegal in Australia. However, X argued the content was 'not any worse than you would see in a gore movie'. Inman Grant responded: 'I can't think of anything more horrific for the family members and the Australian Jewish community.'
The commissioner noted that X pushed back on Australians' access to several other violent videos, including the Charlie Kirk assassination video, the stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train, and the church stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Wakeley, New South Wales. Of eight cases the regulator is currently fighting with X, six were instigated by X, she said.
Platforms Spending More on Challenging Regulation
Inman Grant said social media platforms are spending more to challenge regulation while spending less on trust and safety teams, feeling protected by the anti-regulation Trump administration. She described the situation as 'playing a game of whack-a-mole', with platforms monetising 'the pain and suffering of other people' through algorithms that target users with 'deadly precision'.
Limitations of eSafety's Mandate
The commissioner acknowledged that antisemitism and hate speech are not explicitly covered in her mandate, which focuses on cyberbullying, adult cyber-abuse, image-based abuse, and illegal and restricted online content. She noted that only 2% of complaints about adult cyber-abuse meet the high threshold for action due to freedom of speech protections. However, she emphasised the cumulative harm of online abuse, saying: 'I just imagine that so many in the Jewish community are experiencing antisemitism, racism on a daily basis. And all of that has a cumulative impact on one's mental health and wellbeing.'
Comparison with Cyberbullying Powers
Inman Grant contrasted the adult cyber-abuse scheme with the handling of cyberbullying cases, citing a South Australian case where a 14-year-old girl received death and rape threats after rejecting a boy. In that case, eSafety contacted the school and parents, sending an end user notice requiring content deletion and a pledge not to reoffend. The commissioner can take enforcement action if the notice is not complied with. She said the adult scheme is 'not fit for purpose' and suggested an online hate code to put responsibility back on platforms.
Police Testimony on Coordination
Police from various jurisdictions described their interactions with eSafety at the hearing. Western Australian police deputy commissioner Kylie Whiteley noted delays in finalising a memorandum of understanding with eSafety and public confusion about where to lodge complaints. Australian federal police assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt said the relationship with the regulator was 'very good' and that they were working on better coordination protocols. New South Wales police assistant commissioner Leanne McCusker recommended contacting both eSafety and the National Situation Room simultaneously for live incidents.
Jewish Council Executive Director Testifies
The Jewish Council of Australia executive director, Sarah Schwartz, described how progressive Jewish people are targeted by a 'constellation' of neo-Nazis and pro-Israel advocates. She told the inquiry that after reporting abuse to Victoria police, they took out a personal safety intervention order to protect her, which she only learned about from a journalist. The Australian newspaper then ran a story suggesting the order was an attempt to suppress free speech, republishing offensive imagery. Schwartz said she withdrew the order because it made her less safe.
