Guardian

Elon Musks X wins appeal to lift block on Australians seeing Charlie Kirk shooting footage

People Daily

Elon Musks X Wins Appeal To Lift Block On Australians Seeing Charlie Kirks Shooting Footage

Firstpost

Elon Musks X wins appeal against Australia ban on Charlie Kirk shooting footage: 'Uphold free speech'

GlobalAffairs

Aaj English TV

Australia allows X users to view Charlie Kirks shooting footage after appeal

Sky News Australia

Social media ban disguising rollout of censorship laws

eSafety Commissioner

Distressing Content

ABC Australia

I tried to outsmart the social media algorithm. Here's how it outsmarted me

<h2>Limited Coverage</h2>

Australia's classification review board overturned a decision by the eSafety commissioner to block Australians from viewing footage of the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk on social media after Elon Musk's platform X appealed the ruling.

Australia's classification review board overturned a decision by the eSafety commissioner to block Australians from viewing footage of the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk on social media after Elon Musk's platform X appealed the ruling.

After <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/conservative-influencer-charlie-kirk-shot-killed-at-university-campus-event">Kirk's death on Sept.10</a>, the eSafety commissioner applied to the board to have footage of the shooting classified in Australia, and the video was ruled to be refused classification, allowing eSafety to serve notices on social media platforms ordering them to geo-block the posts for Australia-based users.

After Kirk's death on Sept.10, the eSafety commissioner applied to the board to have footage of the shooting classified in Australia, and the video was ruled to be refused classification, allowing eSafety to serve notices on social media platforms ordering them to geo-block the posts for Australia-based users.

X appealed against the ruling on two separate Kirk videos, as well as a video of the attack on Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte, N.C., in August, which was deemed "refused classification." X was successful in all cases.

X appealed against the ruling on two separate Kirk videos, as well as a video of the attack on Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte, N.C., in August, which was deemed "refused classification." X was successful in all cases.

X argued that the Kirk video contained brief violence with no weapon visible and grainy footage, the camera moved away from the victim quickly, and the video was not excessively detailed, gratuitous or offensive, describing it as a neutral, objective record of a historic public event.

X argued that the Kirk video contained brief violence with no weapon visible and grainy footage, the camera moved away from the victim quickly, and the video was not excessively detailed, gratuitous or offensive, describing it as a neutral, objective record of a historic public event.

The majority of the review board agreed with those arguments to the extent that it should be refused classification, but that a more detailed depiction with different editing or commentary might rise to the level of refused classification, changing the classification of the videos to R18+.

The majority of the review board agreed with those arguments to the extent that it should be refused classification, but that a more detailed depiction with different editing or commentary might rise to the level of refused classification, changing the classification of the videos to R18+.

A spokesperson for the eSafety commissioner welcomed the ruling but said the review board's view that the video should instead be R18+ rated means platforms have obligations to prevent R18+ material being displayed to Australians under 18.

Global Government Affairs

A spokesperson for the eSafety commissioner welcomed the ruling but said the review board's view that the video should instead be R18+ rated means platforms have obligations to prevent R18+ material being displayed to Australians under 18.

Australia's Classification Review Board is on the right side of history against the authoritarian eSafety commissioner. These recordings document real events with profound social and political significance that adults deserve to access. Censorship laws, which are being disguised as safety measures, threaten not only free speech but public access to information about matters of genuine importance.

Australia's Classification Review Board is on the right side of history against the authoritarian eSafety commissioner. These recordings document real events with profound social and political significance that adults deserve to access. Censorship laws, which are being disguised as safety measures, threaten not only free speech but public access to information about matters of genuine importance.

Establishment-critical narrative

Social media platforms must remove content showing extreme violence, terrorism and acts like attempted murder to protect users from serious harm. Sharing violent attack footage causes distress to others and may constitute a crime, regardless of intent. Online spaces, which have clearly run amok and harm both children and adults,  need enforceable safety standards that prevent the spread of disturbing material.

Social media platforms must remove content showing extreme violence, terrorism and acts like attempted murder to protect users from serious harm. Sharing violent attack footage causes distress to others and may constitute a crime, regardless of intent. Online spaces, which have clearly run amok and harm both children and adults, need enforceable safety standards that prevent the spread of disturbing material.

Pro-establishment narrative

Elon Musk

Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images