Elon Musk hit back at the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he talked about the need for a "social license" as his government intensified scrutiny of social media platforms.
What Happened: Musk, the single largest shareholder of X, formerly Twitter, slammed the Australian government, implying that a "social license" would amount to "suppressing" the rights of Australians.
His response was in reaction to the Australian government’s criticism of social media platforms for not promptly removing violent posts. The government is seeking more oversight over content posted on Meta’s Facebook, TikTok, and Musk’s X.
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"With social media comes the need for a social license and a social responsibility," Albanese said in a press conference.
Reacting to it, Musk posted, "I doubt that the people of Australia agree with suppressing their rights."
Why It Matters: The Australian government has been at odds with Musk’s X over a regulatory order to remove videos of a stabbing attack on an Assyrian church bishop in Sydney last month.
Earlier, the Australian government had announced a parliamentary inquiry into the operations of major social media platforms, including Meta Platforms Inc.'s Facebook, TikTok, and X, to address the influence of these platforms.
Albanese‘s Labor government is already in a legal battle with Musk’s X over the regulatory order.
Musk, who has been vocal about free speech, has also been critical of the Biden administration's TikTok ban bill, fearing that it sets a "precedent" for banning any other app the government does not like.
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