An Australian court upheld an order on Friday requiring Elon Musk’s X to pay a fine of A$610,500 ($418,000) for not cooperating with a regulator’s request regarding anti-child-abuse practices. X had contested the fine, but the Federal Court of Australia determined that the company was obligated to respond to a notice from the eSafety Commissioner, which sought information about measures to combat child sexual exploitation material on the platform.
Musk’s company claimed it was not obligated to respond to the notice due to its integration into a new corporate entity under his control, which it argued eliminated its liability. However, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant cautioned that accepting this argument could set a troubling precedent, enabling foreign companies to evade regulatory responsibilities in Australia through corporate restructuring. Alongside the fine, eSafety has also launched civil proceedings against X for noncompliance.
This is not the first confrontation between Musk and Australia’s internet safety regulator. Earlier this year, the eSafety Commissioner ordered X to take down posts showing a bishop being stabbed during a sermon. X contested the order in court, claiming that a regulator in one country should not control global content visibility. Ultimately, X retained the posts after the Australian regulator withdrew its case. Musk labelled the order as censorship and claimed it was part of a larger agenda by the World Economic Forum to impose global eSafety regulations.
Tanzania’s communications regulator has suspended the online platforms of Mwananchi Communications Ltd for 30 days, accusing the company of publishing content that damaged the nation’s image. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) cited violations of the country’s Online Content Regulations 2020 and claimed the media company had shared material that disrupted national unity, peace, and harmony. However, the TCRA did not reveal the specific nature of the content.
Mwananchi Communications posted an animated video on its X and Instagram platforms on 1 October, which depicted people expressing concerns about missing or murdered loved ones. The company later deleted the video and apologised, stating that the content was misinterpreted. Opposition party ACT-Wazalendo criticised the suspension, arguing that the government was silencing media outlets that expose the country’s real issues, especially following recent cases of violence against political figures.
This action has raised concerns over press freedom in Tanzania, with critics pointing out a recent shift in the government’s approach. While President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been praised for easing restrictions on political rallies and media, recent incidents such as protest bans and the arrests of journalists have sparked fears of a rollback in democratic freedoms. Mwananchi Communications has stated that it will comply with the suspension order.
An Australian court has upheld a ruling requiring Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, to pay a $418,000 fine. The fine was issued for failing to cooperate with a request from the eSafety Commissioner regarding anti-child-abuse measures on the platform.
X had contested the penalty, arguing that it was no longer bound by regulatory obligations following a corporate restructure under Musk’s ownership. However, the court ruled that the platform was still required to respond to the request made by the Australian internet safety regulator.
The eSafety Commissioner stated that accepting X’s argument could have set a worrying precedent for foreign companies merging to avoid regulatory responsibilities. Civil proceedings against X have also begun due to its noncompliance.
Musk’s platform has clashed with authorities in Australia before, notably in a case where X refused to remove content showing a stabbing incident. The company claimed that one country should not dictate global online content.
Google has announced it will stop linking to New Zealand news articles and end agreements with local news outlets if a proposed law to ensure fair revenue sharing moves forward. The New Zealand government is reviewing legislation aimed at making tech companies like Google pay for news content featured on their platforms, following a similar model introduced in Australia.
Google New Zealand’s Country Director, Caroline Rainsford, expressed concerns about the potential law, saying it would require major changes to Google’s services. She highlighted that Google could be forced to stop showing news content on platforms like Google Search and Google News in the country if the law passes.
The company also warned the legislation could negatively affect smaller publishers and create financial uncertainty. Despite these concerns, the New Zealand government remains in consultation, with Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith considering feedback before any final decision.
While the minority coalition partner ACT opposes the law, it is expected to receive enough cross-party support to pass. Australia has already implemented a similar law, which has been deemed successful by a government review.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of violating children’s privacy laws. The lawsuit alleges that TikTok shared personal information of minors without parental consent, in breach of Texas’s Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE Act).
The legal action seeks an injunction and civil penalties, with fines up to $10,000 per violation. Paxton claims TikTok failed to provide adequate privacy tools for children and allowed data to be shared from accounts set to private. Targeted advertising to children was also a concern raised in the lawsuit.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is being held responsible for allegedly prioritising profits over child safety. Paxton stressed the importance of holding large tech companies accountable for their role in protecting minors online.
The case was filed in Galveston County court, with TikTok yet to comment on the matter. The lawsuit represents a broader concern about the protection of children’s online privacy in the digital age.
Croatian startup AEOS, formerly known as AdScanner, has secured €10 million in a Series B investment round led by Taiwania Capital, with additional backing from existing investors. This funding follows significant revenue growth and product innovations that aim to redefine how advertisers reach audiences across both traditional television and streaming platforms.
Founded in 2012, AEOS has become a key player in the European TV advertising market, using data-driven technology to enhance campaign planning and audience measurement. Operating in Croatia, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and Serbia, the company plans to use the new investment to accelerate growth and develop its product offerings, particularly in the AI space.
The funding will support the development of AI-driven tools that help advertisers optimise their campaigns across platforms. AEOS has already gained recognition for its Cockpit solution, offering near real-time analytics and bridging the gap between traditional broadcast media and digital streaming services.
In 2024, AEOS will launch its second-generation AI-based planning tool, designed to unify TV and streaming campaigns into one seamless ecosystem. The tool allows advertisers to plan, measure, and optimise their campaigns across multiple devices with greater accuracy than ever before.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a social media moderation programme ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The initiative is designed to protect players and fans from toxic online content. More than 60 players have already joined, with further onboarding expected.
To safeguard mental health and promote inclusivity, the ICC has partnered with GoBubble. Together, they will use a combination of AI and human oversight to monitor harmful comments on social media platforms. The service will operate across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, with the option for players to use it on their own accounts.
The technology is designed to automatically detect and hide negative comments, including hate speech, harassment, and misogyny. By doing so, it creates a healthier environment for teams, players, and fans to engage with the tournament which will be held in Bangladesh.
Finn Bradshaw, ICC’s Head of Digital, expressed his satisfaction with the programme’s early success. Players and teams have welcomed the initiative, recognising the importance of maintaining a positive digital atmosphere during the tournament.
The European Commission has requested information from YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok regarding the algorithms used to recommend content to users. Concerns have been raised about the influence of these systems on issues like elections, mental health, and protecting minors. The inquiry falls under the Digital Services Act (DSA), aiming to address potential systemic risks, including the spread of illegal content such as hate speech and drug promotion.
TikTok faces additional scrutiny about measures to prevent bad actors from manipulating the platform, especially during elections. These platforms must provide detailed information on their systems by 15 November. Failure to comply could result in further action, including potential fines.
The DSA mandates that major tech companies take more responsibility in tackling illegal and harmful content. In the past, the EU has initiated similar non-compliance proceedings with other tech giants like Meta, AliExpress, and TikTok over content regulation.
Google is facing accusations of censorship after locking the pan-African media platform African Stream out of its Gmail Workspace, resulting in the loss of two years’ worth of emails and files stored in the cloud. The organisation has claimed that this action is part of a broader crackdown by US tech companies on its content, which is dedicated to providing a voice for Africans and challenging negative stereotypes.
The controversy escalated following remarks from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who suggested that African Stream is influenced by Russian propaganda, labelling the outlet as ‘Kremlin propagandists.’ Within the last two weeks, African Stream pointed out that it had also been banned from other platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, and criticised Google for not providing any credible reasons for the ban.
In response to the allegations, African Stream has denied any wrongdoing and questioned why major tech companies would bow to a single speech by a US official. The organisation emphasises its commitment to delivering African-centered content and amplifying African voices globally, raising significant concerns about the implications of censorship and the influence of political narratives on the policies of major tech firms.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, must pay $5 million in pending fines before being allowed to resume operations in the country. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, was suspended in Brazil after failing to comply with court orders to block accounts spreading hate speech and to appoint a legal representative.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the fines, totalling 18.3 million reais ($3.4 million), remain unpaid, alongside an additional fine of 10 million reais ($1.8 million) imposed after X became briefly accessible to some users last week. The court can use frozen funds from X and Starlink accounts in Brazil, but Starlink must first withdraw its appeal against the fund freeze.
X has since complied with court orders, blocking the accounts as instructed and naming a legal representative in Brazil. A source close to the company suggested that while X is likely to pay the original fines, it may contest the extra penalty imposed after the platform ban.
The platform has been unavailable in Brazil since late August. Musk had initially criticised the court’s actions as censorship but began complying with the rulings last week.
