Elon Musk's X has successfully overturned a decision to block Australians from viewing footage of the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk on social media. The Australian Classification Review Board's ruling came after X appealed against the initial decision, which was sought by the eSafety commissioner. The commissioner had applied to the board to have the video classified as 'refused classification' in Australia, which would have required social media platforms to geo-block the posts from Australian users. However, the board's majority opinion found that the video, while depicting a heinous event, was not excessively detailed, gratuitous, or offensive, and thus did not warrant refused classification. Instead, they changed the classification to R18+, acknowledging that a more detailed depiction with different editing or commentary might rise to the level of refused classification. The minority view, however, disagreed, arguing that the post was intended for entertainment or personal gain, and could not be compared to the Zapruder JFK video due to its release timing. X celebrated the decision, emphasizing its commitment to free speech and access to information about matters of public significance. Meanwhile, the eSafety commissioner's spokesperson welcomed the ruling but noted that the board's decision to classify the video as R18+ means platforms have obligations to prevent R18+ material from being displayed to Australians under 18. The regulator has not yet issued notices regarding footage from the Bondi beach terror attack that has spread on social media, stating that while the images are distressing, they do not meet the criteria for refused classification.
