Source: Euronews

An Australian Federal Court judge on 21 May 2026 fined X Corp A$650,000 (about €398,500) for failing in 2023 to provide information requested by the e‑Safety Commissioner about how the platform addressed child sexual exploitation material. Justice Michael Wheelahan also ordered X to pay AU$100,000 (≈ €61,326) of e‑Safety’s court costs within 45 days, a sanction that brings a three‑year legal dispute to an end.

X admitted it contravened Australia’s Online Safety Act by not fully answering questions in a transparency notice issued on 22 February 2023, which required answers by 29 March 2023. X’s lawyer Perry Herzfeld told the court e‑Safety did not allege the contravening conduct continued after 5 May 2023 and described the period as one of corporate change and transition following Elon Musk’s acquisition. E‑Safety’s lawyer Christopher Tran said both parties agreed the fine was appropriate to deter large firms treating contraventions as a cost of doing business. A Full Federal Court ruling in July last year required X to respond to the notice and upheld an October 2024 judge’s decision; E‑Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said regulators had asked major tech firms in early 2023 to report on steps to meet Australia’s Basic Online Safety Expectations regarding child sexual exploitation and abuse materials. Sources indicated X was willing to pay the fine to end the prolonged litigation.