EXPLAINER: Why Elon Musk and Australia’s Internet Regulator Are on a Collision Course

With fines and take-down notices piling up, and the social media giant vowing to test their validity in court, X says free speech trumps all.

Elon Musk leaves a U.S. Senate bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Insight Forum at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Sept. 13, 2023. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Australian authorities have set themselves on a collision course with tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X Corp.

The resultant legal battle—if it reaches Australia’s higher courts—could result in a landmark ruling on what, if any, limits can be placed on free speech under current Australian law, and the regulator’s power to hold non-resident entities to account.