An Australian federal court has upheld a financial penalty against X for failing to comply with the country’s child internet safety regulations, marking the end of a prolonged legal dispute between the platform and Australian authorities.
The court ordered X to pay a fine of AU$650,000 (approximately US$465,000) after determining that the company failed to adequately respond to requests from Australia’s online safety regulator regarding the handling of child sexual abuse material on the platform.
The dispute began in February 2023 when Australia’s eSafety Commission issued a formal notice to what was then Twitter, seeking detailed information about how the platform was addressing the spread of harmful content involving child exploitation.
Shortly afterward, Twitter was merged into X Corp following Elon Musk’s acquisition and restructuring of the company.
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Australian regulators later argued that X submitted incomplete responses to repeated requests for information, leading to enforcement action under the country’s online safety laws.
A federal court had already ruled in October 2024 that X was legally required to comply with the regulator’s notice. In the latest decision, Justice Michael Wheelahan said a penalty close to the maximum available amount was justified given the company’s scale and influence.
The court said the fine needed to operate as a meaningful deterrent rather than becoming merely a routine cost of doing business for a large technology platform.
Australia has emerged as one of the most aggressive regulators globally in imposing oversight on large technology and social media companies.
The country introduced landmark legislation last year restricting access to social media platforms for users under the age of 16, placing platforms such as Meta’s Instagram and TikTok under tighter scrutiny.
Several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Israel, Norway and New Zealand, are reportedly examining similar measures following discussions with Australian officials.
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Julie Inman Grant said transparency from technology companies remains critical for ensuring accountability around harmful online content.
She added that public disclosure of how platforms address serious forms of abuse is an important part of online safety enforcement efforts.
The ruling adds to mounting global regulatory pressure on social media companies over content moderation, user protection and compliance with digital safety laws. (Inputs from AP report)
First Published on May 21, 2026, 09:14:38 IST
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