Australia threatens to fine Twitter thousands of dollars over online hate

Things have not been too smooth for Twitter ever since it was acquired by Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, last year. In another turn of events, the platform stands to face charges and fines in Australia because of the rising hate speech on the platform. Australia’s cyber watchdog has called out the microblogging site to explain its handling and management of online hate. As per the country’s online safety commissioner, Twitter has become the most complained about platform.

The microblogging site has been given 28 days to respond to the regulator. If it fails to respond, the platform stands to face potential fines of hundreds of dollars. Elon Musk bought out Twitter in a $44 billion deal last year. Musk advocated for facilitating free speech on the platform. Australia’s e-safety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, asserted that the platform has been sent a legal notice for providing an explanation since one-third of all the complaints received in relation to online hate concerned the platform. This comes out even though the platform has fewer users than Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Grant further added, “Twitter appears to have dropped the ball on tackling hate.”

Moreover, Grant said, “We are also aware of reports that the reinstatement of some of these previously banned accounts has emboldened extreme polarizers and peddlers of outrage and hate, including neo-Nazis both in Australia and overseas.” The regulator seeks an explanation as part of a campaign to make the platform more accountable.

Ella Irwin, who was Twitter’s second head of trust and safety under Musk’s ownership, resigned not long ago. Irwin’s predecessor, Yoel Roth, had left the platform back in November 2022, just a month after Musk took the charge. Though Irwin did not specify the reason, her resignation came just a day after Musk was seen criticising a content moderation decision. Musk described the decision to restrict exposure to the video due to claims of gender appropriation as “a mistake by many people at Twitter”. He further added, “Whether or not you agree with using someone’s preferred pronouns, not doing so is at most rude and certainly breaks no laws.”

What’s more, a week after Twitter pulled out of the voluntary code of flight disinformation of the European Union, Ella Irwin resigned.

Since purchasing Twitter, Mr. Musk has modified the company’s verification process and laid off nearly 75% of its staff, including teams responsible for monitoring harassment. What is striking, however, is that advertisers have left in great numbers. Just days after Musk’s criticism of the content moderation decision, Linda Yacaarino, the former head of advertising at NBCUniversal, took up her role as Twitter’s chief executive. In her previous position, Ms. Yaccarino was credited with guiding NBCUniversal through the disruption brought on by internet companies, restructuring advertising sales, and igniting discussions about data gaps as consumers move online across the industry.