Australia's online safety regulator, Julie Inman Grant, faces a complex challenge regarding the planned livestream of the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, set for early December. The US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced the execution would be broadcast live, prompting calls from the Greens for the eSafety commissioner and the Albanese government to prevent Australians from accessing the livestream.
Regulatory Powers
Under the Online Safety Act, Inman Grant has the authority to direct platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to block access to content classified as "refused classification" under Australian law. This classification typically applies to extreme violent material, including terror-related content, and could extend to clips of the execution.
While some companies, such as Meta, may proactively restrict the video's distribution, others might resist such measures. X, owned by Elon Musk, has a history of legal disputes with eSafety regarding content moderation. In 2024, X successfully argued to keep footage of a violent incident involving a Sydney bishop available to Australians, even recruiting the bishop to support their case.
